Drawn to your darkness, Addicted to your light
by ReixGaara
Summary: Iruka has a run in on a mission and starts down a very dangerous yet alluring path. They both should know better but neither can stay away. Bad summary, give it a try. Two-shot. Yaoi ItaIru KakaIru Rim, NC, bond, violence, slight OOC, oral. RATED M!
1. Chapter 1

Drawn to your darkness, Addicted to your light

_**Drawn to your darkness, Addicted to your light**_

**A/N:** So I'm sure you saw this story in your inbox and are like "What the hell, woman! I'm waiting for an update for _Societal Gap_ or _Search for Strength_!" And I'm here to say I'm sorry. Neither story is forgotten but this little story has been kicking me in the head for five days now and I have to write it so I can get some sleep. It's going to be a two shot. Yes, I promise it won't be any longer than that. It was supposed to be a one shot but I'm a review whore so I decided to split it up. I will never write this pairing again as it's sexy to the point of distraction and I keep drifting off into my own little world while trying to write the smut. Enjoy. It will be updated really quickly as I must put this behind me before I can work on anything else. Fair warning, this is unbeta'd so it might be a little rough. I've read it through a few times and I think I got all the errors but if you catch one please tell me so I can correct it. Cheers!

**Warning:** EVERYTHING! I'm really not kidding this time. Language. Violence. Rape. And every dirty thing that a man can do to another is in this chapter. It really earns its M rating. I wonder if I'm even capable of writing something rated T or K.

**Disclaimer:** If I owned Naruto…Itachi would be naked **all** the time. So until that happens, you'll just have to assume that I don't.

Iruka smiled and tossed the scroll he'd been sent to retrieve in the air and caught it. The mission had been painfully easy and he was now a day from home with two days before he was expected back. This mission had been more like a vacation than work. He tucked the scroll into his back pack and hummed happily to himself, debating about whether to hurry back or take his time. He looked to his left and saw a beautiful clearing beside a stream. Decision made, he'd get back in time even if he camped early today.

It was about an hour from sundown and Iruka made quick work of setting up camp. He didn't set up his tent, opting instead to sleep under the stars. After lighting a fire and eating some rations he stretched out on his sleeping bag, smiling contently. He'd needed this. He'd been in the class room for to long now. A mission was a welcome diversion from his usual routine of training young pre-genin and spending his nights grading papers. He removed his shirt and hiatai and stuck a kunai under his pillow. He was back in the fire country and felt relatively safe but he wasn't stupid. He was alone on this mission and even in this piece of perfection he'd found to camp in, he was far from safe.

He didn't want to get paranoid; it would just ruin his night. He closed his eyes, his fingers curling around the metal handle of the knife, almost wishing for someone to attack. It was silly but he hadn't been in danger for a long time and he was longing for the thrill of battle. He didn't get the craving for the adrenaline rushes often but it was in his blood. He was a shinobi after all.

He woke in the dark of night, unsure as to why. Sitting up he glanced around the clearing, searching for the cause of his unease in the glow of the fire's embers. He pulled out the kunai and got to his feet. Extending his senses he began to search the surrounding area for intruders. Several birds were in the trees surrounding the clearing, a small animal, probably a squirrel, was foraging in the brush behind him and…there! His eyes snapped open and he whirled around to the direction that he'd heard the distinct sound of twigs cracking under the weight of a person's foot. He pulled chakra into his eyes, attempting to cut through the dark but there was no moon and the night was so very black. He stretched out his hearing again, trying to follow the sound. Another twig snapped on the other side of the fire and he turned, pulling his body into a defensive stance. He almost dropped his weapon as he gazed across the almost extinguished blaze at a tall figure in a black and red Akatsuki cloak. His eyes trailed up the lean, powerful frame to the pale face, long black hair and piercing, cold eyes. He tried not to tremble but he knew he was already dead. For what seemed like an eternity but was in reality only a couple of seconds the two men just stared at one another. Iruka's lips parted, words almost inaudible falling from him.

"Uchiha Itachi." The cold, indifferent eyes remained trained on him, no emotion breaching the stoic face.

"Hello, Umino Iruka." Another pair of hands grabbed the chuunin-sensei from behind and the dark neck craned to see the Uchiha prodigy's shark like partner holding him in an unbreakable grip. His eyes flew back forward as he felt the other enemy directly in front of him. Itachi was standing very close now and Iruka couldn't help but let his gaze rise to the S-class criminal's eyes. He knew his mistake even before his chocolate gaze fell on the crimson orbs that were burning into him and his world faded to darkness.

He awoke and the area was still dark. He was bound on his sleeping bag with wires. He pulled at the bindings, crying out when the cords dug into the flesh of his wrists and ankles.

"Itachi, he's awake." Iruka looked up as the sound of footstep grew louder. Itachi stood over him, a small, sadistic smirk playing on the handsome face.

"Umino Iruka. Chuunin-sensei for the Konoha ninja academy, clerk in the missions office," Itachi paused for dramatic effect, "and beloved father figure to the Kyuubi vessel." Iruka felt his heart rate increased ten fold. They were after Naruto. It didn't really matter, Naruto was off training with Jiraiya and he honestly had no idea where they were but he had a feeling that the heartless Akatsuki members wouldn't be happy with that answer.

"We've been looking for the little blonde but he seems to have disappeared off the face of the planet. He hasn't been in the village for over a year now. Tell me, _chuunin_, where is the little demon?" Iruka flinched at the condescension in the icy voice. This man had no respect for him as a ninja. That seemed expected though. Itachi Uchiha was…is...one of the most powerful ninjas to ever come out of the village. He'd killed almost every member of his extremely powerful clan by the time he was fifteen. He'd joined up with other S-class criminals to collect the jinjuriki and kill their vessels, for what reasons no one knew yet. He was nothing compared to this man and he knew it.

"I-I don't know where he is." Iruka dropped his gaze to the ground, away from the piercing, black eyes.

"And if you did?" He lifted his dark eyes, a jolt of rebellion surged through the young man as he thought about sweet, innocent, Naruto; his blue eyes sparkling as they laughed and ate ramen together.

"I wouldn't tell you." The words were hissed venomously, the feeling of strength immediately pulled from the cinnamon man as the Uchiha prodigy chuckled cruelly.

"Your bravery is admirable…but foolish." He pulled Iruka into a sitting position by jerking on his chin making the younger man wince in pain. "We're going to find out what we want to know…one way or another." Itachi ran his hand along the dark jaw line, his charcoal eyes evaluating the man beneath him. The man who was looking up at him with both fear and acceptance. This chuunin was prepared to die to protect the jinjuriki, his jinjuriki. The warm brown pools of expression speaking volumes; 'I know what you're going to do, but you won't get anything from me.' Something about this man was begging to be broken. Something about the light that shone from deep inside him was imploring to be extinguished. There was something pure about this pathetic excuse for a ninja that Itachi wanted to destroy.

"Kisame." The shark like man kneeled behind Iruka, who swallowed his fear as he assumed the torture was about to begin.

"You're right, Itachi. Far to pretty to cut up." His brown eyes bugged out as the shark's massive hands slid down his naked chest to the top of his pants and fiddled with the button that held them in place. Realization set in and Iruka thrashed wildly under the huge man's ministrations but it was no use. He was completely at their mercy, or lack there of.

"Cut the wires on his feet." Itachi commanded his partner, who was more than happy to oblige. The wires were cut, the uniform pants stripped away and Kisame ran his hand hungrily over the shaking naked frame before looking up at his the stoic Uchiha who was leaning against a nearby tree.

"Don't you want some?" Itachi shook his head and held his fingers in front of his mouth.

"Katon no jutsu." A fire ball landed in the circle of rocks that Iruka had placed there earlier. He threw some of the logs that were sitting near by on the flames and looked back at the pair a few feet away. "Hold his head up. I want to see his eyes."

Kisame smiled sadistically. Sometimes it was impressive just how fucked his partner was. He gripped the dark throat and tilted the chin so that the glistening brown orbs were forced to meet the frigid, black gaze. Itachi nodded his approval and the shark pulled his gigantic member out of his pants fisting it slowly before pressing the head against the chuunin's perfect, virginal opening.

Iruka's eyes widened and he cried out shrilly as he felt himself stretch and tear around the invading organ. He closed his eyes, tears of pain streaming down his cheeks.

"Open you're eyes, chuunin." He heard the order from Itachi but the pain racing up his spine was overwhelming. He'd never had anal sex before. He'd slept with a couple of women when he was still taking missions regularly but he'd never been with a man. After this he didn't figure he ever would again, whether that be because of the memory of the agony or that he wouldn't be alive for another time. He gritted his teeth to muffle his screams, his bound hands clawing at the forest floor. Groans of pleasure and vulgar phrases were spewing from the behemoth behind him as he body was used.

"Oh fuck yeah. Scream you little pussy." Suddenly another hand was on Iruka's jaw and he looked up to see Itachi sink to his knees in front of him. Kisame's hand left his throat and gripped his hip excruciatingly.

"Oh yeah. He's too good to pass up, Itachi. Nnnngh. Yeah. You've gotta try him." Iruka raised his eyes to Itachi's emotionless face, choking on his sobs as the man undid his pants a placed his huge, hard cock to his lips. Taking a deep shaky breath, he conceded and opened his mouth, sucking shyly on the throbbing member as his ass was torn open by the shark.

Iruka had never felt so used and weak in his entire life. He hoped that they would kill him after they were done. He didn't know if he could stand having to explain this to Tsunade. A large hand gently pulled out his hair tie, his dark hair cascading around his face. The hand stroked the silky dark locks before taking a loose grip, softly coaxing the chuunin to suck with more vigor. Iruka was somewhat surprised. Itachi didn't yank as his hair and force his cock down his throat, instead applying a little pressure on the back of his head and stroking his tear ridden cheeks. He tried to focus on the soft caresses but Kisame slapped his ass and thrust forcefully into his bleeding body making him scream around Itachi's cock, his teeth scraping the delicate skin a little too hard. The Uchiha grunted and glared at his partner before returning his eyes to Iruka's face which was now raw from crying. His pale thumbs reached up and stroked the bronze cheeks, his dark eyes shifting from the amazing sight of his cock buried in the pouty mouth to the man's eyes which were shut tightly in pain.

"Look at me, chuunin." The watery orbs revealed themselves and Itachi stilled his hands, his grip tightening in the chocolate hair to halt Iruka's movements. He stared down at the man who was wincing in agony around his erection as his partner pounded him from behind. He pulled out of the warm mouth and dragged his thumb over the dark lips. Iruka's eyes shone in the fire light, shone with a plea for help and that light, that light hadn't gone out.

Kisame was still fully engrossed in the tight clenching of the chuunin's ass when Itachi's voice interrupted his thoughts.

"Enough!" The shark didn't look up at his partner, thrusting into the abused body again and again.

"Almost done, then he's all yours." A hand was suddenly on the collar of his cloak and he was thrown backwards into a tree.

"What the fuck, Itachi?" The cold black eyes stared down at him in a look he knew to be very dangerous.

"I said enough. Go back to the camp and wait for me there." Kisame grumbled but didn't say argue. That would be suicide.

Itachi turned back to Iruka who was struggling to sit up on his shaking, bound arms, his bleeding ass in full view. Iruka jumped and whimpered as the mass murder's hand slid over his ass. He tightened his muscles as if trying to pull away but only succeeded in making his torn hole burn.

"Relax." The deadly man commanded but Iruka didn't feel cooperating. He just wanted to be left alone in his shame.

"Haven't you done enough? Just kill me already." He gasped as he felt the warm, stinging sensation of a healing jutsu. Itachi stared at the dark, lightly scarred back before him. The chuunin sounded done but he'd seen in his eyes that there was more there. He'd have to take this slow if he really wanted to break the beautiful, older man. His charcoal eyes widened in surprise as the chuunin pressed back into his hand, desperate for the relief of being healed. His thin lips curved upwards as he knew that he had the chuunin exactly where he wanted him. Regardless of his words, Iruka wanted to live. He slid his hand over the smooth skin of Iruka's backside before sliding up the trembling, tan flanks.

"Wha-what are you doing?" Itachi grunted and flipped the older man onto his back.

"What does it look like?" Iruka shivered and turned his face away from Itachi's cruel expression as the broad, pale hands explored his naked body. As the appendages moved further down his body and stroked his hips tenderly Iruka pursed his lips tightly. This was so much worse. He could feel his body reacting to the gentle touches. He willed his blood not to flow to his pelvis but it was no use, his flaccid member began to inflate and he squeezed his eyes shut tighter in shame. A sound that was somewhere between a sob and a moan of pleasure ripped from his throat as he felt warm moist breath on his cock. He covered his face with his bound hands as Itachi's tongue began to flick the head, lapping and teasing it until the chuunin was writhing pitifully from the stimulation. He didn't know whether to sigh in relief or whimper in loss as the torturous tongue was removed. He pressed his hands more forcefully over his face as he felt the murderer's body over his.

"Are you enjoying yourself, chuunin?" Iruka gasped in shock as the wires holding his wrists were cut away. He tried to push himself up but his arms were quickly pinned.

"Don't run. I don't want to hurt you." Iruka shivered as the words were whispered in his ear.

"Why? I thought the idea was to hurt me." Itachi smirked and ran his tongue and teeth over the tan neck making the chuunin's taught body arch and tremble in delight. The killer tied new wire on Iruka's hands and ankles and attached them to kunai which he staked in the ground spreading Iruka out like the Ventruvian man. The long, pale, deadly fingers flew through a series of hands signs and the ground under them became solid stone. Iruka tugged at his bonds but the kunai were now cemented into the hard ground. He wasn't going anywhere.

Itachi smiled as he watched Iruka struggle in vain. His face hardened when the wide, brown, doe eyes turned up to him in desperation, his cock twitching at the look of complete helplessness on the tan face. Stripping off his cloak and placing it under the back of Iruka's dark head he resumed caressing the naked form beneath him, smiling cruelly when he saw the brown eyes linger on his fishnet clad chest. He gripped the chuunin's chin and nipped at the jaw while hissing in the older man's ear.

"Do you like what you see, chuunin?" Iruka tried to pull his face out of Itachi's grasp, but the long elegant fingers twisted into his hair, sharp teeth scraping over his jaw and jugular. "Why don't I give you a better view?" Iruka swallowed thickly, trying not to stare as the fishnet shirt was removed along with the black pants. Purple nails scraped along the tender flesh of the inside of his thighs as Itachi settled between his legs. A deep moan tore from his throat as the long thin fingers wrapped around both of their lengths and slowly fisted them, their hot erections pressed together.

"Do you like that, chuunin? Does it feel good when I touch you?" Iruka hissed through his clenched teeth. It did feel good. It felt amazing. He mind reeled at the intensity of the whole situation. He was in so much danger. Itachi could kill him at any minute…and it was exhilarating. It made every pleasant sensation that wracked his body all the more taboo. The strong, pale grip tightened and Iruka thrust into the hand, moaning as his member pressed against his molester's.

Itachi admired the way Iruka's body arched into him and the tan faced contorted in pleasure. He sat back on his haunches, running his free hand along the soft skin of Iruka's hips and thighs, his fingers trailing up and down the crack of the newly healed ass. The smaller, tan body tensed and Itachi pumped their cocks a little faster. Drawing chakra to his fingers he circled a digit around the tight pucker making his victim whimper in fear with a hint of needy desire. He pressed one finger into the tight ring of muscles to the first joint, withdrawing it almost all the way and pressing it back in a little deeper. Iruka thrashed against his bonds, unsure if he was trying to get away from the intrusion or to force the finger deep inside of him.

The teacher's head began to swim. The sensations were quickly becoming too much. He felt the pressure building in his abdomen, squeezing his eyes tightly, trying to will the oncoming orgasm away. Feeling the telltale signs of release in his victim, Itachi stroked them faster, his finger pressing in and out of the tight opening until it was fully buried in the convulsing body. He curled the digit and smirked when Iruka screamed and shook, his orgasm seconds away.

"That's it, chuunin. Let go. It feels so good, doesn't it? Just give in." He curled his finger again, brushing the older nin's prostate, rewarded with the violent arch of the slim, tan body and a unrestrained scream of ecstasy as the chuunin exploded all over his hand and cock, semen coating the dark chest, the beautiful face twisting in an addictive look of elation. Itachi leaned down and licked the drop that had landed on the dark chin away before coating his fingers with the semen and returning to preparing the tight ass. He wanted to see that look again.

Iruka panted as he rode out the most powerful climax he'd ever experienced. His body went slack against his restraints and his brain effectively stopped working. He closed his eyes, ragged breath passing over his dry lips. He felt Itachi's tongue on his chin and fingers prodding him again but he had no will or strength to protest. Two fingers were pressed into him this time but he didn't react, even when they rubbed against his prostate he barely flinched. Finally Itachi got fed up and dropped his mouth to the chuunin's flaccid penis, lapping at the drying cum, making Iruka cry out in surprise.

"That's better. I want you to remember this, chuunin. Every time you have sex you'll think of me. Every time you're aroused I will be the first thought that passes though your mind. Every time you feel that exact right amount of pain this is what you'll be reminded of. I'm going to ruin you for anyone who follows in my footsteps."

Tears sprung anew to the brown eyes and he turned his face away from the Uchiha prodigy who was expertly bringing his body back to a state of arousal. He didn't want to look at the deadly, sexy man who was torturing him to rapture for his amusement. A third finer joined the other two and he couldn't help but moan at the deliciously full feeling. He shouldn't want this. 'This man is an enemy. He wants to kill Naruto. He's raping me.' His body betrayed him as he pulled at the wires on his wrists, pushing himself down onto the fingers which were making him feel so dirty, so used, so horribly hot. A whimper that was solely of loss escaped his lips as the fingers slid out of him completely, leaving him feeling cold and empty.

"Don't worry chuunin. I'm just getting started." Iruka's whole body went tense as something much larger than the fingers pressed against him.

"No, please…" Itachi shushed him, digging his knees under Iruka's thighs and leaning his body over the older man's.

"Shhh. Relax, chuunin, or it will hurt." Iruka tried to breathe slowly but the pain of Kisame's assault was still very fresh in his mind. Itachi nuzzled the exposed neck moving his hands over the chuunin's chest and shoulders, soothing away the panic that was gripping the bound nin. Iruka was sobbing hysterically, tears streaming down his cheeks and blood trickling down his arms from where the wires had cut into his wrists during his struggling.

The Akatsuki member ran his tongue over the tan jugular and up the raw cheeks, sucking at the rivers of saline. Before he realized exactly what he was doing, his lips were pressing all over the chuunin's face and Iruka was beginning to calm. This was too intimate an action but Itachi wanted the chuunin so badly, and he couldn't rape him like Kisame did. Iruka needed to enjoy this for his victory to be complete so he went against his nature and continued to kiss the bronze face avoiding the pouty mouth.

Finally Iruka's breathing slowed to the point that he wasn't hyperventilating and Itachi repositioned himself at Iruka's opening. The brown orbs widened in fear but Itachi closed his lips around one of Iruka's ear lobes, tonguing the cartilage while whispering soothing placations. He slowly shifted his hips forward, groaning as the passage gave way and he sunk into the tight heat of the body beneath him. His patience had been worth it. Iruka felt so good. He was almost painfully tight and it took all of the prodigy's control not to thrust into him heartlessly.

Iruka swallowed his screams and shifted his gaze to the charcoal orbs which were narrowed in lust. He had the feeling that this might be the most emotion that the stoic Uchiha ever showed. He winced as he felt Itachi's balls press against his naked ass and the movement halted giving Iruka time to adjust, his eyes searching his violator's for an explanation, emotion…anything really.

Itachi gazed down at Iruka in wonder, though it didn't show on his face. His victim still looked so damned innocent. The bloodshot brown eyes shone in the fire light and for the first time in years Itachi felt torn. He wanted to split this man in half. He wanted to make him bleed and scream and beg for it to end. He wanted to scar the chuunin so badly that he wouldn't be recognizable. On the other hand…he wanted to know how someone could keep that purity while being a ninja. He wanted Iruka to teach him how to feel again. He didn't want to destroy the light, he wanted to possess it.

Itachi slowly rocked his hips and slid his arms under Iruka's shoulders, tangling his fingers into the hair on the back of the lean neck. They just stared at each other as the murderer unhurriedly moved in and out of the hot body. Angling his thrusts, Itachi pushed his cock languidly across Iruka's prostate. Iruka stretched his neck, his chin brushing against his attacker's strong, pale jaw, his body convulsing as the bundle of nerves was compressed.

The prodigy gasped as the passage tightened around him as if the smaller man was trying to hold him in place. He dragged the bridge of his nose along the arched jaw before pulling back and watching the expressive, brown eyes widen and close as he thrust in the body again and again. The pouty, dark lips parted, the chuunin's breath coming in pants and moans. The overwhelming urge to taste the beautiful bronze mouth gripped him and he ran his tongue over the bottom lip, caressing the dry, slightly chapped skin and allowed it to dip into the warm, moist cavern. He grunted and jerked back when a second, wet muscle joined his, electric waves of desire pouring over both of them as the tongues brushed. The black eyes widened in surprise as Iruka's tongue darted out to wet his lips, the brown orbs gazing up at him with a needy plea. Itachi then did something that he'd never done before; he leaned down again so that his lips were just above Iruka's. He felt the chuunin's tongue brush his lips which parted and his own tongue met the other outside of both mouths, caressing tentatively.

The tan body pulled against the wires, searching for more contact, the hungry dark mouth searching for the feel of the thin, pale lips. Iruka whimpered pathetically, his lips forming words before his brain could catch up.

"Please…kiss me." The chuunin mewled in delight as their lips met in a bruising embrace, Itachi thrusting into him without restraint, their tongues sliding over each other in a ferocious battle. Itachi's heart raced as Iruka bucked against him, the aching cock grinding into the toned panel of his abs as his tongue dominated the chuunin's mouth.

Itachi's mind was spinning. What was he doing? He didn't kiss his victims. That wasn't in his nature…but it felt so good. The chuunin tasted amazing and was responding to him vigorously. The tight body contracted around him as he thrust mercilessly, but the cries and moans that filled the air weren't of pain; broken sobs for more were tearing from the leaf nin between their heated kisses. The Uchiha lost himself in the sensations, reaching between their bodies and grasping Iruka's neglected member which spasmed at his touch. Itachi grunted as Iruka's body viced around him, every muscle in the tan body tensing as the chocolate head was thrown back and a hoarse scream of release echoed through the clearing.

Itachi groaned and captured the breathless man's mouth as he pounded into the tight ass, his own climax approaching. Iruka had already sprayed his seed between their bodies, so why was he still kissing the chuunin. Something had happened while he was trying to break the leaf nin. He'd begun to enjoy the feeling of possessing the smaller man. He broke the kiss, panting into the older man's lips as his vision went white. He heard Iruka whisper his name and he lost his control, emptying himself into the chuunin. His chuunin. His body heaved above Iruka and for one moment, one brief instant the world was forgotten. He looked down at the beautiful flushed face and didn't want to go back. He wanted to steal the chuunin away, leave his empty life behind and possess the man completely until he was the only thing the chuunin-sensei knew.

Dragging his thumb across the swollen lips, he raised his gaze to the brown eyes. Damn those eyes! They weren't broken. Afraid, a little; confused, definitely, but not broken, not empty. In fact if anything, the eyes swam with more emotions than before. Something akin to sadness and regret floated in the chocolate pools, a vain wish that this could have been different, that their situations could have been different. Itachi decided it was time to leave when a tug at his gut echoed the sentiment.

He pushed himself up, his face returning to the icy, expressionless mask as he pulled his clothes on. He left the cloak under Iruka's head and was almost out of the clearing when the chuunin's voice made him pause.

"Why? Why did you kill your clan?" Of all the things he thought the chuunin might say…that was not one of them. He didn't look back as he strode away, leaving Iruka naked and spread eagled in the clearing.

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"So, did you get anything from him?" Kisame had packed up the camp and seemed to be in a very foul mood.

"Hn." Kisame growled in frustration.

"Then what the hell were you doing there so long?" Itachi didn't respond, only fixing his partner with a severe Uchiha glare, pulling his spare cloak out of one of their packs and draping it around him.

"Let's go." The shark scowled and shook his head but followed his partner silently.

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Kakashi leapt through the forest like a mad man, the setting sun gleaming on his white, hound mask. Iruka was due back from his mission two days ago and no one had seen hide nor hair of him. Tsunade was beside herself. The mission had been a simple C-rank and she had thought that the teacher would enjoy some time away from the village. She had destroyed her office when informed that Iruka was missing, fearing she'd sent him to his death. A search team of ANBU had been assembled to search for him and Kakashi had immediately requested to join them. He had grown fond of the academy sensei since Naruto had left. They often had lunch together and discussed their former student.

He skidded to a stop, his feet sliding on the damp branch. He had been prepared to find Iruka's body. He had been ready to bring the chuunin's corpse back to Konaha. He had to be, it was a likely outcome. He had not been prepared for the scene before him. Iruka was staked to the ground, dried blood on his writs and ankles and crusty, white semen on his torso and thighs. The jounin leapt to the ground and carefully cut the wires away, the lifeless limbs falling to the unnatural stone ground. The chuunin's eyes crack open and looked up at him in disorientation.

"Iruka…" The dry, cracked lips moved and he leaned closer to hear the whisper.

"W-water." Kakashi unscrewed the top of his canteen and pulled Iruka into a sitting position, grabbing the fabric under the chuunin's head to cover his naked body. Iruka brought the canteen to his lips with shaky hands, coughing as he swallowed the water greedily. Kakashi sent up a chakra flare and looked back at Iruka, colour slowly returning to the scarred cheeks.

"What hap-." He stopped mid sentence as his gaze fell on the black and red fabric the chuunin was clutching to his chest. Akatsuki. Iruka tried to push himself up, winced and collapsed back to the ground, reopening one of the wounds on his writs. It took all the reserve Kakashi had not to chidori everything in sight. Who could do this to Iruka? He didn't ask though because he was pretty sure he knew the answer. Iruka however seemed to be relatively alright…considering.

"I'm okay. Can you get my clothes?" Iruka looked up at the ANBU and wondered if he knew him. It was forbidden for anyone to know ANBU's true identities but this man seemed to know him, his touches loaded with concern and anger.

The faceless man nodded and gathered his friend's belongings. Iruka dropped his gaze to the cloak, his hands tightening on the fabric. Why did he feel this loss? Why was he upset that he'd probably never see Itachi again? It didn't make any sense. He lifted his head as the ANBU settled beside him and med-nins teleported into the clearing. The male and female paramedics began healing his arms and legs and he swatted their hands away from the rest of his body.

"I'm fine. I was only injured where the wires were. Stop it. Stop! I said I'm fine." Kakashi handed Iruka another canteen of water. The chuunin did indeed seem to be alright. He watched Iruka pull on his clothes and move to pick up his pack when one of the med-nins stopped him.

"Are you out of your mind?" The woman's voice sounded slightly shrill. "You have severe exposure. Not only are you not carrying your belongings back, you will not be walking back to the village either. Iruka rolled his eyes.

"I told you, I'm alright. Please don't make me feel like an invalid." Kakashi scooped the protesting man up in his arms, bride style and shrugged when the chuunin blushed and glared at him.

"Doctor's orders." Sighing in resignation, Iruka nodded.

"At least carry me on your back, Hound-san." Kakashi smiled beneath his mask. It was a relief to know that Iruka hadn't really changed.

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Iruka avoided the Hokage's amber gaze as he recounted the mission, the entire room so silent that the crunching of Kakashi's ANBU gloves under his crushing grip when Iruka finally said who his attackers were was like cannon fire, making the academy teacher flinch. Tsunade glared at Kakashi as a warning to control himself. She couldn't really blame him though. She felt exactly the same way.

"So he…just left you?" Iruka nodded to the Hokage who sighed deeply, her age showing through the jutsu. "I'm sorry this happened Iruka."

Iruka shook his head. "This was my fault. I should have kept going. The mission was done, I should have come home but I was enjoying taking my time. It was careless of me."

"I had meant this mission as a break for you. I guess it backfired on both of us, ne?" They smiled weakly at each other. "Alright. Go home, rest up. That's an order. I'll let you know when you'll be returning to duty after I speak to the med nins. Dismissed." Iruka grabbed his pack and threw and arm around Izumo as he entered the hall, balancing himself on his friend as they headed towards the exit. Tsunade watched them leave before turning to the female medic. "So?"

"Well aside from dehydration and the injuries to his writs and ankles he seems to be fine physically. If it hadn't rained he would be in much worse shape if not dead from lack of fluids. We did find evidence of a healing jutsu though." Tsunade looked up curiously.

"A healing jutsu? Where?" The med nin shifted uncomfortably and the Hokage leaned back in her chair, massaging her temples.

"I-I guess I understand why he didn't mention it but I don't think we heard the whole story." Tsunade nodded.

"I believe he told us everything we need to know. We'll monitor his mental state for a week and reassess him then. Hound-san." Kakashi stepped forward. "I believe you have a standing friendship with Iruka-sensei, do you not?" Kakashi nodded, hoping she wasn't going to ask him to do what he thought she was. They were friendly but hardly confidents. "I would like you to try to get Iruka to talk about what happened. If he doesn't talk to someone we may have to force him to talk with Ibiki. I don't want to do that." Tsunade's almost comically serious expression made him nod again before disappearing with a pop.

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Iruka sat on his bed, opened his bag and dumped its contents out. The scroll he had been sent to bring back was still in fine shape, an assortment of weapons and ration bars littered the bed and…His hands closed around the rumpled Akatsuki cloak and pulled it to his nose. He inhaled deeply, Itachi's scent hung on the fabric triggering memories of the man. The soft hands caressing his body, the thin lips and strong tongue against his, the cold black eyes boring into him. He growled and threw the cloak across the room, glaring at it as if it were alive.

"What have you done to me?" Iruka whispered to the inanimate object. "I hate you."

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Three weeks had passed and Iruka was almost back to normal. He was back at work, he was having regular lunches with Kakashi and the jounin had even convinced him to come out for a drink tonight. He was sitting at a table with several of his friends and a few shinobi he didn't know, laughing about something Genma had done on a mission. The jounin dropped his head to the table as Anko described in graphic detail exactly what he'd woken up wearing after a night of 'reconnaissance' at a bar in Lightning. Iruka laughed heartily. He'd have to thank Kakashi for getting him out of his apartment, this was fun.

A jounin Iruka vaguely recognized sat back down at the table with another drink. The man was already very drunk and his speech was slurring slightly. He leaned across the table towards Iruka.

"Everyone's glad to see you back 'round, Iruka-sensei." Blushing scarlet, Iruka smiled shyly. The man leaned a little further and Iruka leaned forward as well. "Really, we are. I'm curious though…did you like it?" The entire table fell silent, every head turning to Iruka who was gaping at the jounin in shock. Knocking his chair over, Iruka stood up and stormed out of the bar. He didn't see Kakashi drag the man from his seat and knock him out with a single punch before racing after him. He was in front of the door to his apartment when Kakashi grabbed his arm to halt him.

"Iruka, I'm so sorry. I didn't…" the silver haired man sighed deeply and hung his head. "I'm sorry."

"S'okay. It's not your fault." He turned to unlock his door when Kakashi spoke again.

"Do you want to tal-."

"NO! I don't want to talk about it. I just want to forget the whole thing. Is that so much to ask?" Iruka flinched at the rather miserable look on Kakashi's face. He dropped his gaze feeling a little guilty. Kakashi had been great. He'd been supportive, and caring and hadn't pushed him in anyway to open up which made it easier to talk about it. He hadn't said much but the jounin had listened when he did.

"I…didn't mean to snap at you. I…What happened to your hand?" Iruka's eyes widened at the sight of the man's bloody knuckles. Kakashi shifted and avoided his eyes.

"It's nothing." Iruka chuckled.

"I bet the guy's face feels differently." He looked up at the jounin and smiled. "Thanks. I'm just going to finish my marking and go to bed. I'll see you for lunch on Thursday." Kakashi nodded and watched Iruka disappear into the building, wishing he was able to help the young man in some way.

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Iruka flopped on his bed on his stomach. He laid still for a moment before he growled in rage and pounded his fists into the bedspread. He buried his face in his pillow trying to calm himself. It wasn't so much that the man had commented on what happened. Lots of people had. But this man had hit the one question that riled him…because he had liked it.

He'd thought about Itachi every day for the last three weeks. No matter how hard he tried he couldn't get the elder Uchiha out of his mind. His hand moved subconsciously to the space between the mattress and the wall, grasping the piece of fabric hidden there and pulling it toward him. He ran his finger over the black and red cloak before clutching it to his chest like a security blanket. Dropping his face to the cloth he tried to slow his pulse but like every time he touched Itachi's cloak the recollections of the pleasure that had wracked his body that night swarmed his mind. He shifted his legs, his member inflating at the thought of Itachi's body over him.

A sudden feeling of unease washed over him and he stuffed the cloak back in its hiding spot. Sitting up he glanced around the room. He was probably being paranoid but an overwhelming feeling of being watched settled on him.

"Is someone there? Kakashi?" Silence. The room was empty; everything was as it should be. He pushed the curtains aside and glanced out the window to see if anyone was out there but again he found himself alone. Sighing at his restlessness, he reached back for the rumpled jacket. Shaking his head and gripping the blankets beneath him he decided against it.

"No, don't do this to yourself," he whispered aloud. He pushed himself off the bed and pulled off his shirt and pants and headed toward the bathroom. He'd feel better after a shower. He turned on the water and stepped into the tub, pulling the curtain closed behind him.

The hot water cascaded over his body, washing his tension down the drain. He lathered his hair, stepping under the spray, he rinsed it out. He squeezed body wash onto his hands and slowly began rubbing down his body, scrubbing at his arms and chest. As his slicked hands moved over his hips his erection sprang back to life. He closed his eyes and pressed his forehead against the cool tiles. He slid his hand onto the throbbing organ and stroked it slowly. Immediately the gratifying feeling of the younger man's slow thrust against his prostate sprang to mind and a breathy gasp passed his lips. He tried to push the image from his mind but his effort was half hearted so it remained fixed. He moaned as he imagined the long, elegant, Uchiha fingers wrapped around both of their cocks.

Suddenly the unnerving feeling swept over him again and he whipped around. The back of the tub was empty, cool air seeping in through the not completely closed shower curtain. Iruka shook his head and stepped to the back of the shower, tugging the white plastic sheet to the wall.

"Come on, Umino. You're starting to lose it." He turned back to the front of the shower and froze. Standing under the hot water was Itachi Uchiha, his black long black hair clinging to the powerful, pale frame. Iruka blinked but the apparition didn't vanish. He pressed his eyes closed tighter, willing his delusion to desist. When he opened his eyes again the Uchiha had moved closer, towering over him. Iruka took a frantic step backward, his foot slipping on the slick tub surface. Strong hands caught his weight under his arms and pressed him against the back of the shower.

"You seem surprised to see me, Chuunin." The smaller man trembled as a warm tongue slid along his jaw to his ear.

"You're not here. I'm dreaming. I fell asleep in my room and this is just a dream." Itachi chuckled evilly and flipped the tan body so that his chest was pressed firmly into the older nin's back. He pinned the slim wrists above the chocolate locks with one hand and began hungrily molesting the naked body with the other.

"You didn't say nightmare, Chuunin. Did you miss me?" He slid his hand down the bronze chest and grasped Iruka's straining member. "Hn, feels like you did." Iruka moaned loudly as the long fingers slid along him. He let his head fall back to Itachi's shoulder, gasping as the thin lips attached themselves to his neck, sucking and biting a large purple mark of possession into his dark skin.

Itachi stared down at the face flush with arousal on his shoulder. The full lips parted as he slid his hand over the sudsy member. He pulled the smaller man's wrists off the wall, trapping them against the tan chest with his free arm. The chuunin's head slid into the crook of his neck, the hot breath on him driving him wild. He released the arms and slid his hand up the sculpted chest, tilting the tan chin towards his face. The brown, doe eyes opened and Itachi released a feral growl and squeezed the chuunin a little tighter.

Iruka mewled and bucked into his hand. Needing more contact on his own aching erection, Itachi spun the smaller frame again, grinding himself against Iruka.

The chuunin's mind churned. He was here. Itachi was here, pressed up against him like he'd wanted for weeks. The coal black eyes raking over his face as he panted and moaned at friction between their cocks. His body arched violently as Itachi nipped at his lower lip. He opened his mouth, whimpering as the strong tongue met his.

Itachi groaned as he finally tasted the sweet mouth again. The chuunin's tongue slid over his, coaxing the wet muscle deeper into the dark mouth. He gripped the sides of the dark face and broke the kiss, his eyes boring into the chocolate orbs.

"Do you want me to make you feel as good as last time?" He thrust his hips forward and the full lips parted in a gasp. The shinning brown eyes locked on his.

"Yes." The breathy whisper was so sexy that Itachi had to bite the inside of his cheek to keep from groaning. He placed a hand on each of the narrow, bronze shoulders.

"Then get on your knees." The tan body slowly sunk to the floor, the brown hands lightly grasping the pale hips. Itachi grunted emotionlessly as the warm mouth encased him. His long thin fingers brushed the wet hair off the tan face. The warm brown eyes rose to his without him even having to demand it. He closed his eyes and let his head fall back; the sight was just too erotic to keep watching without risking cumming in the hot cavern. He was so wrapped up in the sensations that he didn't even notice the hands slide off his hips. He looked back down just as Iruka finished the last of a series of hand signs. The shower water turned into two steely hands which gripped him tightly. He glared icily as Iruka jumped to his feet and dashed from the bathroom.

"That was not smart chuunin."

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Iruka slammed into the wall as he skidded into the main room. This was crazy…though he didn't know exactly what he was talking about; wanting Itachi so bad it hurt or thinking for a second that he could defend himself against the infamous Uchiha. He reached for his weapons pouch on the table when a pale hand clenched his arm in a painfully tight grip. Iruka looked up in fear at the black eyes, which for once weren't emotionless; they were alight with rage.

"Shit!" Iruka knocked the hand away, and shoved the pale chest with all his strength, hoping to put some distance between them. Itachi's eyes spun crimson as he stepped back to keep from falling.

Iruka leapt over his couch but the Uchiha was already ahead of him. He tried to stop but ended up skidding into the dripping, pale chest. Strong hands caught his wrists and tossed him backwards onto the couch like a rag doll, the broad, naked body settling over his. Fingers slid into his wet hair and gripped tightly.

"You shouldn't have done that, Chuunin." Iruka frantically twisted in the tight grip, his voice rising as he struggled.

"No! Let me go! Help! For the love of Kami, someone help me!" Itachi's icy voice hissed in his ear.

"I put a jutsu on the apartment. No one can hear you, Chuunin. No one is coming to save you. Not even that jounin friend of yours." Itachi prodded Iruka's unprepared entrance with his engorged flesh. Panic struck the younger man as he remembered the excruciating pain of being taken that way.

"No…please!" He begged the heartless Uchiha who pressed against him a little more forcefully.

"I told you it would hurt if you fought me." Iruka thrashed against the pressure and managed to free on of his legs. With every ounce of speed and strength he had he lifted a foot to the washboard stomach and kicked with all his might. Itachi grunted and flew backwards. Even tumbling to the ground he managed to look graceful.

Iruka stood up on the couch, his eyes darting around the room for a means of escape, but he'd kicked Itachi right between him and the door. Finding nothing, he went to the one place that was farthest away from the Uchiha, up. Launching himself off the back of the couch and pulling chakra into his hands and feet he laid himself along the ceiling as flat as possible. Itachi looked up at the chuunin in sadistic amusement. Did the teacher really think that he would be safe up there? Itachi jumped upwards, standing vertically on the ceiling, towering over Iruka who was splayed out on all fours like a spider. Both set of dripping hair hung downward and for a moment neither man moved, just staring at the other wet, naked man before them. Iruka's eyes shifted from Itachi to the door half a second before he scuttled to his left and leapt onto the wall. He hadn't gotten more than five steps before a hand caught his arm. Cursing he wrenched out of the Uchiha's clutches and leapt back onto the ceiling. Itachi watched impressed as Iruka pushed his body of the horizontal plane with his hands and landed on the opposite wall with his feet, the tan hands sticking to the wall making Iruka look like a cornered animal as he faced outward.

The brown eyes darted to the weapons pouch lying still untouched on the table but Itachi saw and moved preemptively towards it. Iruka took advantage of the larger gap between them and jumped towards his actual objective, the katana on the back wall of the apartment. His fingers closed around the sheath and he pushed on the hilt with his thumb. Just as he allowed himself to hope that may survive unscathed a large pale hand clasped over the blade and squeezed, snapping the sword like it was a twig. Their eyes met and Iruka felt hands on his shoulders before he hit the ground with a sickening crash. A soft thud in front of him brought his gaze to Itachi who was crouching before him, red eyes gleaming through a sheet of wet, black hair. He looked like a panther that had just cornered its prey, beautiful and deadly.

A weight settled on his body and Iruka looked up into the spinning crimson eyes.

"Why me?" Itachi didn't respond, pinning the arms on either side of the dark head, perhaps unsure of the answer himself. He dragged his sharp teeth across the tan neck, soothing the abused skin with his tongue.

"I won't hurt you if you behave." Iruka grimaced, feeling like a scolded child. Swallowing, he nodded in submission. Long arms scooped him up off the floor and carried him into the bedroom before depositing him unceremoniously on the bed. Long, elegant fingers flew through a complicated series of signs and Iruka found himself bound to the bed with vines. He pulled at them but they only seemed to tighten with his struggles.

"Don't!" The icy command made him settle completely as the tall naked body climbed over his. Now that he knew that Itachi wasn't planning on hurting him he found himself excited for the hands that had begun to explore his exposed body. His body twisted in pleasure as a tongue slid over his nipple making him gasp. If he hadn't thrown his head back in delight he would have seen the stoic Uchiha smirk at him.

Itachi was in heaven. His chuunin was moaning and writhing beneath him so prettily. He took his time exploring the glorious, tight body, moving up and down it from head to toe, caressing the tan skin with his tongue until Iruka was begging him for more. Heaven.

He dropped his head and took the tip of the leaking member in his mouth, relishing the salty taste of purity. Deciding he couldn't wait any more he pulled the blankets from underneath them and bunching them under the tan lower back. Licking his way across the chuunin's shaft and balls he lowered his mouth to the puckered entrance, grateful for the muting jutsu he'd put in place because the screams that ripped from the older nin would have woken the dead. With a flick of his hand the vines binding Iruka's ankles grew and he bent the chuunin's knees giving him better access. He could only stand to tease the chuunin for a moment before he pressed his tongue past the tight ring of muscle. Iruka bucked violently as he pressed into him. Itachi had to grab the bronze thighs to steady the man, spreading them a little wider as he pushed the wet muscle further into the body. He reached up and wrapped his fingers around the throbbing cock above his head, smiling in victory as he felt the passage close around his tongue and Iruka screamed his name as the chuunin came all over his chest.

Itachi lifted his eyes to the satiated brown gaze. The chuunin looked exhausted, relaxed and completely fuckable. He crawled up the lax tan body and captured the sinfully sweet mouth in a bruising kiss. Iruka moaned and massaged his tongue hungrily.

"Do you want more, Chuunin?" Tan hips lifted into Itachi's, cum spreading onto the mass murderer's body.

"YES! Oh gods, yes! More. Please Itachi, fuck me!" The pale thin lips descended again, nipping and tugging at the pouty, brown pair while long, thin fingers dragged through the large puddle of cum on the rippled stomach.

Iruka had thought that the last time had been as good as it could possibly get but the Uchiha seemed to be trying to prove him wrong; trying and succeeding. He arched and mewled in bliss as Itachi slid first one than two cum slicked fingers into his ass, stretching him methodically. After the third assault on his prostate Iruka screamed so loud that he was sure he'd be hoarse tomorrow.

"Please Itachi, now! Fuck me! I need you!" Itachi stared down at the chuunin in shrouded shock. No one had ever said that to him before. It wouldn't have been the same if it was anyone else either. Only his chuunin could say something like that to him and live to tell about it, not that he would tell about it. Grunting he removed his two fingers. He didn't know if he'd stretched the chuunin enough but he was in desperate need of release, in desperate need of the chuunin's hot body around him.

He slowly pressed himself into the passage until the head of his cock was suffocating in the spasming passage. He grunted at the amazing sensation and collapsed forward onto Iruka who winced as he slid a little farther into the gripping ass. Itachi shifted his hips to pull back when legs wrapped around his hips as far as the vines would allow. He raised his eyes to the sienna orbs which were laden with desire.

"Don't stop. Please, don't stop." Itachi pushed slowly forward and was so lost in the feeling that he almost missed the whisper that escaped from the arched throat. "Don't ever stop. Don't ever…nnnngh…don't ever stop."

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Two hours later Iruka watched Itachi get dressed, a sense of loss gripping him as the pale body was recovered. Itachi didn't look back at him but paused when he spoke.

"Why do you want the jinjurikis?" He hadn't expected and answer so it wasn't surprising when the Uchiha teleported away without a word.

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A/N: Okay, so a little crackish on the pairing, I know. But I think the story has some potential. Please review. I've already started part two and it should be up soon…ish…Yeah, so I'm dying to hear what you thought. Does it work? Should I lay off the drinking? Let me know.


	2. Chapter 2

Drawn to your darkness, Addicted to your light

Drawn to your Darkness, Addicted to your light.

A/N: Sorry this took so long but it is the longest chapter I've ever written. Damn plot bunnies. To Michele, sorry if editing this made you eyes bleed. Thanks to Roely who helped me along when I got stuck and boosted my confidence as I wrote. My eternal gratitude to everyone who reviewed. I should mention some names but it's late and I really want to get this up. I love you all and thanks for reading my unconventional pairing. There's an epilogue in the works and it's nice and short so I hope to get it up soon. Granted that's what I said about this chapter…there are some spoilers so consider yourself warned.

Warning: Violence, yaoi sex, language

Disclaimer: Still don't own or the manga would be reading very very differently.

Itachi gazed down at the village Hidden in the Leaves for the sixth time in three months. He knew that it was risky sneaking into Konaha so often but every time it had been worth it. In the weeks in between his visits, he found both his body and his heart aching for their next rendezvous. He missed the chuunin's smooth skin, his soulful eyes and he even found himself missing the questions Iruka asked as he left the brunette alone. Not all of them had been easy on him but they made him feel human.

/Flashback/

_He felt the innocent eyes on his back as he pulled on his cloak. It had been two weeks since he had shown up in the man's shower and he'd just finished ravaging the taut body again._

"_Sasuke's in Sound with Orochimaru." Itachi's fingers froze on his last button. He'd known this, of course, but it was always hard to hear about his foolish little brother. "I was just wondering if it was your intention to ruin him so completely." He didn't look back as he left Iruka tied to the bed._

_/End Flashback/_

On the other hand not all the questions had been so brutal either. Many of them had shown Itachi how curious Iruka was about him. Do you ever miss the village? How do you put up with Kisame all the time? What's your favorite colour? But the last question…Itachi hid his face behind the high collar of his cloak so his partner wouldn't see his smile. The last question had been the best.

_/Flashback/_

_He watched the beautiful brunet stretch his whole body on the bed, the lean torso arching upwards. Itachi had already released the vine jutsu and he was now glad of it. Iruka tucked his hands under his head and smiled the most dazzling, heart throbbing, cock teasing smile._

"_Why don't you ever answer my questions before you leave?" Itachi couldn't contain the single chuckle that escaped his throat. He tossed his fishnet shirt to the brunette who brought it to his nose, smiling shyly. They looked at each other for a minute before Itachi disappeared with a pop._

_/End Flashback/_

"Well whadaya know. We're back in Konaha…again." Kisame's annoying voice jerked him from his pleasant reverie. "So, how long has it been this time? Three weeks?"

"Hn." Itachi wasn't going to have this conversation with the aggravating shark.

"Look, Uchiha, this is getting out of hand. What are you going to tell Pain we've been doing for the past four months?" Itachi glared daggers at his partner. "You're going to get caught. You know that right? They're going to catch you and have a good, old fashion, public execution. Is a good fuck really worth that?"

Itachi stood up and walked away from the giant. What his partner said was true. He was being careless…but Iruka was worth it.

"I'm not watching your back if you're going to act like a fool!" The raven heard his colleague shouting behind him but he didn't look back. Three weeks had felt like a long time, a painfully long time to be without his chuunin.

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Kakashi blocked the well placed kick and grabbed Iruka's leg, tossing him backwards. Iruka pushed his hands off the ground in an elegant back spring. He raised his hand, gesturing for Kakashi to take a break.

"Whew! It is hot out today." He unzipped his vest and pulled off his uniform shirt, wiping his forehead with it. Kakashi gapped at the brunette who had collapsed on the ground and pulled out a bottle of water from his bag.

"Are you wearing fishnet?" Iruka looked down at his chest which was indeed covered only by Itachi's shirt. He blushed scarlet and cursed internally.

"Oh, uh…yeah. I forgot I was wearing it." Kakashi continued to gape at the article of clothing that seemed so out of place on the docile young man. "It was a gift," Iruka followed up, hoping Kakashi would stop staring at him like he'd grown an extra head.

"It's a little big on you but it looks good." The tan cheeks flamed and Iruka dug around in his bag for the snacks he brought to avoid looking at Kakashi. He handed the jounin an apple and a bottle of water. This had become a new routine for them. Along with their frequent lunches, they'd taken up a weekly sparing session every Saturday.

"You've gotten really good you know." Iruka looked up, surprised by the sudden praise.

"Oh, thanks. I can't imagine that this is very helpful for you though." Kakashi shrugged and winked at Iruka.

"Every little bit helps. Just the regularity of matches is good for me. I've gotten lazy since I don't have kids to train anymore."

"Lazy? You? I don't believe it." Kakashi chuckled and swatted Iruka's shoulder.

"Smart ass! If we keep this up for much longer, I'll be able to take out the whole of Akatsuki. If they were stupid enough to show their faces around here again that is." Iruka shifted uncomfortably, fingering his shirt. "Hey, are you okay?" A hand settled on the mesh covered shoulder. Iruka stood up abruptly, shaking the hand off.

"I have to go."

"'Ruka? What's wrong?" The chuunin reached down and picked up his bag and clothes from the ground and started to walk away. Kakashi popped up in front of him, blocking his path. "What did I say?" Iruka shook his head and side stepped his friend but two seconds later, the jounin was in his way again.

"You know, just cuz you're faster than me doesn't mean that I appreciate you flaunting it in my face." Kakashi reeled back as if he'd been struck, looking at the teacher with hurt and confusion pouring from the visible, usually bored eye. Iruka sighed. Why did Kakashi always make him feel so guilty? "It's nothing. Sorry. I…I'm just hot and tired and need a shower." He took another step when a strong, pale hand wrapped around his arm.

"Does this have to do with Itachi?" Iruka froze, trying to keep the panic from showing on his face, even though his body language was probably screaming it. He looked up at Kakashi and forced a smile on his face before gripping the front of the jounin's uniform and tossing him over his head.

Kakashi sat up and shook his silver hair, watching the brunette walk away. Iruka looked back over his shoulder at him and smiled a real smile.

"I'll see you on Monday for lunch." Kakashi groaned and collapsed back to the ground. Something was definitely bothering the teacher but he couldn't figure out exactly what it was. Was Iruka still upset about what the Uchiha had done to him? He'd seemed fine for the past few months so it didn't seem like that was the case. He pulled absentmindedly at the grass beneath him and decided that he'd find out what was going on…no matter what.

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Iruka stepped into his cool apartment, sighing as he dropped his belongings on the table and glancing at his calendar. There were black Xs through most of the days already except for one day at the start of the month that had a red X through it. He fingered the mark longingly before pulling off his, or rather Itachi's shirt. He held the clothing to his face but only his scent hung on the material. He'd been wearing it to much. In fact, he wore it almost all the time under his uniform. It really needed to be washed he noticed, scrunching up his nose and tossing it into the laundry hamper. He crawled onto his bed and reached for his other keepsake that he knew still smelled like the Uchiha. He traced one of the clouds with is finger. Three weeks. It felt like so much longer.

He smoothed the wrinkles out of the fabric and spread the cloak out on the bed, cuddling up to it, imagining that Itachi was there. He jumped when long, cool fingers slid up his naked back. He turned and found the aforementioned man staring down at him. His body still pumping with adrenaline from training, he grabbed the Uchiha by the front of his cloak and pulled him to the bed, crawling on top of the younger man and devouring his mouth.

"My, you're aggressive today, Chuunin." Iruka smiled into the pale neck, inhaling deeply. Nothing beat the smell of the real thing.

"I was training. You were gone so long. So long…" He kissed the thin lips hungrily as Itachi slid his long fingers up the tan flanks. Iruka nipped at the pale jaw, grinding his erection into the S-class criminal's. The strong hands pressed down on his ass causing more friction and making them both groan loudly.

"So sexy, Chuunin." Iruka smiled and carded his hands into the long black hair.

"So beautiful, Killer. So dark…so beautiful." The callused tan hands began to undo the cloak that was obstructing his view of the smooth, alabaster skin. Itachi's black eyes widened in surprise as the chuunin ripped open his mesh shirt and began impatiently running his tongue over his pecks. He gasped as the sinful mouth closed around one of his nipples, gleaming white teeth tugging at the hardening nub. He twisted his hands in brown hair watching the dark lips move across his body intently.

It felt good to let Iruka have free reign. He loved being in charge; making the teacher's beautiful body writhe beneath his hands, but not knowing exactly where the chuunin's mouth would move to next was intoxicating.

Iruka looked up from Itachi's chest to see the black eyes studying him. The man was terrifyingly intense, those dark pools threatening to swallow him whole with the promise of pleasure yet to come. Iruka closed his eyes and shivered as the hands in his hair pulled gently and thin lips pressed to his temple, coaxing him up for a proper kiss. He sighed into the mass murderer's mouth as the deadly hands caressed his neck and shoulders. It never failed to amaze him how tender Itachi could be. He ground his hips downward making the sexy, thin lips beneath him part in desire. He snagged the bottom lip between his teeth, tugging at it as he ground their erections together making the Uchiha release a rare throaty moan.

Itachi growled in need and flipped their positions, kissing his way down the tan body. He grinned when the muscular abs arched as his tongue dipped into the brunette's navel. The man was so addictive. Everything about him was what Itachi needed. The chuunin's pants were stripped away, as were Itachi's. Their skin slid together as the raven moved back up the teacher's body, straddling the slim hips. He raised his hands to perform the vine jutsu when bronze fingers tangled in his. He looked down into the warm chocolate orbs which made his stomach tighten in desire.

"No. Please. I want to be able to touch you." Itachi looked down at the man who was asking something so normal of a lover. He wanted to consent but was he willing to admit that they were lovers? The umber brows furrowed, the caring eyes begging him to allow this one simple request. Itachi slid his hands over the narrow shoulders, leaning down and recreating his mark of possession that had faded over the weeks on the tan neck.

"Then touch me." Trembling, dark hands slid over the white back and the chuunin moaned at finally being able to feel the soft skin beneath his fingers. Iruka mewled as sharp teeth sunk into his skin and his nails scraped down the pale flesh.

Itachi couldn't believe how good it felt to have Iruka's hands on him. He almost wanted to give up his control over the situation completely when the chuunin's fingers dug into his back. There was so much trust between them now. Iruka trusted Itachi with his body unequivocally and he trusted the nin not to alert anyone about his presence in the village. He wrapped his hand around their grinding erections, reaffirming his dominance as the chuunin screamed and bucked against him. Itachi smirked as he remembered their first time together, seeing in the chocolate gaze that the older man was thinking the same thing, passion glittering in the expressive eyes.

Reaching behind him, Itachi pulled a bottle of cinnamon flavored lubricant out of his cloak which had been kicked to the end of the bed. He pulled the cork out of the bottle with his teeth, poured some of the spicy liquid on his hand and returned it to its previous placement on their members.

Both men groaned loudly and thrust into the slick grip.

"Aaaah, gods, Itachi! It feels so good." The younger man smiled as the chuunin pushed wildly against him, the feeling of lube clearly new to him. Iruka pushed his body off the bed and climbed onto Itachi's knees, wrapping his lean arms around the muscular shoulders. The Uchiha poured some more lube on his hand, dropping it to the brunette's taught ass. Iruka bucked harder and threw back his head as a finger pressed into him.

"Give me your hand, Chuunin." He slipped one of his hands into the pale hand on his ass, his fingers slicked as the long elegant digits moved over his. He whimpered as Itachi's finger pulled out of him but gasped when the Uchiha's hand guided his fingers into his own body. Iruka turned his eyes back forward. The black eyes were studying him fixedly as he stretched himself. He mewled and dropped his face to the lean neck as a long, thin finger joined his, stretching him quickly.

"Hn, so sexy. So sexy." Iruka couldn't even breathe he felt so good. Between the invading fingers and the fisting of the pair of erections he was already at his threshold. He felt a warm ring of chakra slide around his member just as he was about to cum and his eyes snapped up to the Uchiha's smirking face.

"Ahhh! You…evil…sadistic…bastard!" A deep chuckled rumbled in the Uchiha's chest as he withdrew their fingers and laid Iruka back on the bed. He quickly positioned himself at the brunette's entrance and pushed his lubed cock into the warm passage making Iruka slam his head back into the bed and gasp.

"Hn, you know you love it." Iruka was already begging him to remove the chakra cock ring as he slid smoothly in and out of the tight body. A tan finger slid into the chuunin's mouth, the dark face falling to side in bliss. Itachi grunted and dropped his chest to Iruka's, sliding his arms under the slim shoulders and cupping the older man's chin, turning it forward. The men's eyes met and they stared at each other as they panted and groaned. Itachi's long hair fell in his face and Iruka reached up and pushed the black silk out of his line of sight, holding it in place behind Itachi's head. He trailed his finger up the pale spine collecting the drops of sweat that were trickling down the soft skin. He tightened his arms around the Uchiha as their tongues met.

Running his hands along the pale face he could feel Itachi pressing into his caresses. He watched Itachi nuzzle his hand and for a moment the Uchiha's guard was down. Iruka watched a look of need and affection wash over the handsome face as the pale, thin lips pressed into the tender skin of his wrist. Realizing his mistake, Itachi's eyes hardened and he thrust into Iruka forcefully. However, upon seeing Iruka's brows furrow he let his face soften a little, kissed the dark lips gently and slowed his pace back to the slow, passionate speed he'd previously had, sighing internally as Iruka's hands resumed caressing his face. He pushed his growing reservations about their relationship to the back of his mind and simply reveled in the incredible feeling of closeness as he pressed his lips to his chuunin's, his pale thumbs caressing the tan cheeks. Iruka whimpered softly as his prostate was struck.

"Itachi…please…aaah! Take it off! Please!" Having been so caught up in their intimate moment Itachi had forgotten about the band of chakra he'd placed on the older man's member. He raised himself to his knees and began ghosting his fingers over the purpling organ making Iruka groan and reiterate his plea. Itachi gasped as the hot flesh contracted around his cock, squeezing him so hard it almost hurt. He moved his hips a little faster, drawing chakra to his fingers as he stroked the throbbing flesh. Iruka writhed beneath him, the tan legs tightening around his back. Itachi closed his eyes in gratification as dark hands stroked every piece of his skin they could reach. Suddenly the supple body beneath him began to convulse, the brown eyes widening in both pleasure and pain as Iruka rested on the cusp of a highly restrained orgasm. The Uchiha released the jutsu and his chuunin released a feral scream, coating his stomach with cum.

Itachi groaned as Iruka tightened like a vise around him. He didn't even have to move, just let the spasming passage milk him to completion. He collapsed onto the tan chest not even caring that he had landed in a huge puddle of semen. Burying his head in the crook of Iruka's neck, he nuzzled the soft skin there. Tan arms feebly wrapped around his shoulders and squeezed. Itachi smirked at how completely spent Iruka seemed to be, the chocolate head lolling lazily against the pillow. However, when he tried to push himself off the bed, the strength in those slim arms seemed to return, pulling him back to the mattress possessively. He smirked at the chuunin's obvious desire for him not to leave yet. The smirk faded as he tucked a strand of hair behind Iruka's ear and studied the umber eyes that were studying him.

Iruka's fingers slid over his pale cheeks, his thin lips and the elegant arc of his black brows. He was unused to being appraised so meticulously. In fact, no one had looked at him like that since he left the village. Running his fingers through Iruka's hair he let them trail down to the bronze face, cupping the chin and pressing their lips together tenderly. This had clearly gone past trying to ruin the older man. If anything, it was Iruka who was ruining him now.

They lay there just listening to each other breathe for several minutes until Itachi nuzzled the dark neck and pecked Iruka's lips before pushing himself off the bed. His chest clenched painfully as he glanced back at his lover to see the warm eyes brimming with tears. He swallowed thickly and continued to dress. As he was pulling his cloak on over his bare shoulders, (the remainders his shirt in tatters on the bed), he heard Iruka's gentle, tenor voice.

"Itachi, what, if anything, are you afraid of?"

Iruka's eyes widened as Itachi turned to face him, glad that he'd been able to calm himself down before asking his question. Itachi had never really acknowledged any of his questions before but now he was moving back across the room and crawling back on top of the brunette. The thin, pale lips pressed to the full, cinnamon pair; first gently, then hungrily. Itachi ran the bridge of his nose along the tan jaw, nipping at the chuunin's ear. Iruka wound his hands in the black hair, releasing a breathy gasp as the murderer's lips moved on the sensitive skin of his lobe. Itachi didn't smile as he whispered his first response to Iruka.

"You."

Iruka had been so enraptured in what the younger man was doing to him that he almost missed it. He pulled the raven head to his chest and stroked the sheet of long back silk, smiling as Itachi rested his full weight against him.

"I'm leading a mission on Tuesday. At least five days to Grass. If…if you were…in the area…"

"Hn." Iruka smiled and kissed the crown of his lover's head as Itachi's fingers skimmed up his stomach. They both tensed and held their breath as a loud knock at the door disrupted the tranquil moment. Iruka tightened his arms around Itachi, their eyes meeting and a silent conversation passing between them. Itachi released the muting jutsu and Iruka hopped to his feet, pulling on a pair of jeans and wiping off his chest with a towel he draped around his shoulders. Another knock at the door. He rushed back to the bed and kissed Itachi on the lips.

"Don't go. I'll be right back." The Uchiha watched his chuunin scramble from the room before silently following him.

"I'm coming! One sec." Iruka pulled open the door to find Kakashi leaning against the railing to his floor's balcony.

"'Kashi. What's…uh…what's up?"

The silver haired jounin stared at his half naked friend trying to sort out all the things that were wrong with this moment. Iruka wasn't inviting him in, that was one. There had been some kind of jutsu around the residence; that was another. But the biggie was the fact that Iruka had someone's scent all over him. He knew it was familiar but he couldn't place it. Kakashi couldn't help but feel a pang of disappointment at the notion that Iruka had a lover. He cared very deeply about Iruka and it was only lately that he'd begun to realize just how deep those feeling went.

"I just got a mission. I'm leaving tomorrow morning so I won't be around for lunch on Monday." Iruka nodded though rather distractedly as a very suspicious Uchiha had just stepped behind the door. He could feel the cool glare boring into the side of his head.

"Oh, that's too bad." Kakashi nodded, not missing how Iruka had suddenly tensed up.

"I was just wondering if you wanted to do dinner tonight instead." The chuunin began to panic as he felt a very unregulated chakra spike from his lover and saw Kakashi's visible eye widen. "Is everything okay, Iruka?" Iruka leaned against the open door and stretched his hidden arm towards Itachi, his fingers brushing the washboard abs. He smiled disarmingly at his friend.

"Yes, of course. Why wouldn't it be?" Kakashi eyed the chuunin wearily. He wanted to ask who was there, but if Iruka didn't want to tell him he wouldn't press. "I'm sorry but I already have plans tonight. When do you get back?"

"Probably Wednesday. Rain check 'til then?" Iruka shook his head and Kakashi sighed.

"I've got that mission to Grass next week. I'm not sure exactly when I'll be back." The chuunin flinched as Itachi's hands slid over his own, pushing his fingers to the top of the mass murderer's pants.

Kakashi nodded but craned his neck to try to see into the apartment. "Are you sure you're okay?" Iruka smiled at his closest friend. If only he knew whose body was being stroked just two feet away from him.

"Yeah, I'm great. I'll see you when I get back. You'll owe me a lunch and a sparring session by then." Kakashi regarded his smiling comrade sadly before shrugging his shoulders, his bored mask firmly fixed on his face.

"When you get back then." Iruka waved cheerily to the jounin and closed the door only to have Itachi grab is wrists and pin him up against the closed door. The brunette gasped as his back collided with the solid wood surface, his brown eyes widened as he saw jealousy and a hint of betrayal flash through the charcoal eyes.

"We're just friends." The hard gaze didn't soften nor did the grip on his arms. "Itachi…you're the only one I want. You're the only one I let touch me. I swear. The only one..." The pale hands slid down his arms and stroked his neck though the black eyes were still blazing. Iruka cupped the pale face, raising himself on his toes to press their lips together but the Uchiha caught him.

Iruka's eyes widened as his lover turned away from him. He scrambled to get back in front of Itachi but the younger man was too quick for him disappearing from the room in a puff of smoke.

Iruka sank to the floor in dismay, clutching his knees to his chest. He didn't understand what exactly happened. How could Itachi not believe him? Who could possibly want more than what he already had?

Itachi strode through the forest quickly. He'd seen that Iruka was telling the truth and he'd felt so…relieved. But therein lay the problem. He wasn't supposed to be feeling anything. Jealousy, relief, passion…love, these were all parts of humanity that he'd given up years ago and needed to stay buried in order for him to survive.

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Iruka tromped through the woods on the edge of the fire country. He'd be gone for almost two days, two very miserable days. It actually had been nice to get out of his apartment and away from the place that reminded him so much of Itachi.

The client was walking a bit behind him with two young chuunins on either side of him. The two young men had been in Iruka's fist class and were doing very well for their age. He felt bad for his morbid and short tempered mood but he couldn't help it. He was miserable.

He couldn't stop thinking about how his lover had looked when Kakashi had asked him out. If this whole mess with Itachi hadn't started, he'd have been ecstatic about the idea of dating Kakashi but, now, he had placed all his anger about losing the mysterious Uchiha on the jounin. It really wasn't his fault but Iruka couldn't help but think that if it hadn't been for his friend, he would be expecting his lover to meet him on this trip. He clutched his chest as a pang of sorrow passed through it.

"Iruka-sensei…are you alright?" Iruka looked back and smiled at his teammate.

"I'm fine, Jiro. Thanks for asking. How are you fairing, Tomi-san?" The client nodded weakly, his exhaustion showing.

"I'm a bit tired. Will we be camping soon?" Iruka nodded.

"Just as soon as we find a good…" He raised his hand and the group halted behind him. He could feel eyes on him, so similar to the feeling he'd had the night Itachi had molested him in his shower.

"What is it?" Iruka's eyes darted wildly around the area. Nothing so far. Whoever was out there was waiting to make their move.

"It's nothing, Toshi. Probably just an animal or something." The continued walking but the two young men caught the small hand signs that they had made up before the start of the mission near their leader's leg. Someone was definitely out there.

They walked for another hour, not wanting to stop as they would be vulnerable. Finally, they stopped and set up camp, the three ninja's not dropping their guard for a second when Tomi went to sleep.

"Go lay down for half an hour. I'll keep watch. In exactly one hour you should be in the new campsite. Use a sleep jutsu on him so he doesn't make any noise. Chakra flares if something goes wrong. If I'm not back by sun up, you get the hell out of here." The two boys nodded though he could see in their eyes that they wouldn't leave him to die.

"I mean it. The first priority is to the client. You need to get him home safely." Toshi nodded his head and clapped Iruka on the shoulder.

"Be careful, Sensei." Iruka nodded and then raised his voice to above its previous whisper.

"Okay, get some sleep. I'll take first watch." The two teen disappeared into their tent and Iruka settled himself on a log in front of the fire.

He extended his chakra and could feel the blips that were bounced back towards him indicating an enemy. He closed his eyes and focused on all the people surrounding the clearing. There were so many but there was an opening for his teammates to slip through. He swallowed thickly as he realized that there was a strong possibility that he wouldn't survive this assault. He wasn't ready to die, by any means, but he didn't feel the same need to survive that he had a week ago. He knew his team needed him. He knew that Naruto still needed him, even if it was just a small amount. His students needed him, his friends needed him, his village needed him…but all that paled in comparison to the previously held belief that Itachi needed him.

He shook the thoughts from his head and focused on the enemies surrounding him as he felt the expertly masked chakra of his students moving away from the camp, replications in their sleeping bags. He sent out a strong wave of chakra that would tell him if any of the enemies had moved and give his teammates an idea of their locations. Nothing so far. Everyone was holding their ground. Iruka was beginning to worry about his plan but it was to late now to back out. He sat in a relaxed manner, still unsure as to why he hadn't been attacked.

It was at least five hours later when he finally felt someone move against the waves of chakra he was sending out. Slowly pulling out a kunai and several shuriken, he hid them along the sides of his legs as he felt the circle of people advance on him. He could feel three members of the group heading for the client's tent. He'd have to put himself right in harm's way if he wanted to keep up the illusion that the Tomi and the rest of his team were still here.

He leapt to his feet as the first man entered the clearing, tossing the shuriken at him. One of the stars caught the man in the chest and he cried and fell to the ground while two more immediately took his place. Iruka slashed the air furiously, keeping his body between the tents and his opponents. He could feel four more people on the edge of the clearing and four…no, five more behind them. He was hopelessly out numbered but he had to give his team as much time as possible.

He shot up a blue chakra flare signaling for the three men to start moving immediately. He internally cursed himself for not taking another member for the squad. Four would have left them in good shape right now but the B-rank mission was supposed to be light and they were trying to make good time.

A kick to the chest sent him flying backwards and he performed his recently perfected back spring into the center of the camp site. Men were advancing on him from all sides now. He took out another kunai and took his most effective defensive stance.

"Come on, then!" He wasn't being rational but he didn't really care. He was going to take out as many of the enemy as possible before dying.

Four of the nine men he could see lunged at him. He was glad of his recent training with Kakashi now, as he easily slew the first one and hit a pressure point in another's neck, paralyzing him immediately. A kunochi swung her leg near the ground in an attempt to take out his feet but he jumped and kicked her in the head sending her flying into a nearby tree. A chakra spike to his left alerted him to a fire jutsu which he narrowly avoided, a chunk of his uniform and hair getting singed.

A pair of blades appeared right in front of him and he only just got a replacement jutsu off in time to save himself. He landed a few feet away but was grabbed by two pairs of strong hands and forced to his knees. He sighed in failure. Seven enemies left and the last chakra signature was heading towards the clearing. His head was wrenched from it resting place on his chest and he looked into the victorious, sadistic smile of one of the remaining men who was unsheathing his sword.

"I hope you're prepared to die for the lives you took, Leaf nin." Iruka looked up at the man, his brown eyes clearly showing that he was, before closing his eyes as he heard the swish of the sword cut through the air.

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Toshi looked up as the streak of blue chakra lit up the sky.

"Jiro! Get him up, we have to move!" The younger man sat up and saw the streak fade.

"Iruka-sensei! We have to go ba-."

"No! Get Tomi-san up. We're moving out…now." Jiro bristled, advancing on his friend.

"How can you just leave him? He's going to get killed. Iruka-sensei is the best teacher in the village. He was our teacher. I'm not just going to…" Toshi grabbed the younger man's shoulders tightly.

"Yes you are. He told us to keep going and that's exactly what we're going to do. Just…just get him up." Jiro's rebuttal died in his throat at the broken look that entered his friend's eyes. Grudgingly he nodded and roused the client. The three men set off with the young chuunins glancing over their shoulders sending their old sensei silent prayers for his survival.

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Iruka opened his eyes when a sickening crack in front of him graced his ears. He looked up at the man holding his left arm but he was staring forward, a look of absolute terror on his face. Slowly he lifted his gaze to the man standing in front of him…a man who had someone right behind him. The sword arm had been caught and the man's throat was in the grasp of a strong, hand. He gasped as he saw the man sputter and cough blood, his jugular crushed by the pale grip, before falling to the ground and revealing a stoic, handsome face. The black pools lowered to his and Iruka didn't know whether to cry in gratitude or shudder at the bone chilling undercurrents that lay in the seemingly unemotional eyes.

The man on his left began to tremble, a shaky word falling into the silent air.

"A-Akatsuki." Itachi's eyes darted to the man who should have held his tongue. Spinning, red sharingan blazed and in a move too fast to follow the elder Uchiha slit both men that were holding his arms throats. The other members of the enemy group gasped looking at each other, unsure as to what to do. A battle cry from one of them sent the whole horde upon the pair.

Watching Itachi fight was like watching a beautiful, choreographed dance, the grace and fluidity of every movement a true depiction of what a shinobi should be. Snapping out of his stupor, Iruka jumped into the fray with renewed vigor. He blocked a kunai that was headed for Itachi's back and launched himself at the pitcher. He felt something wild wash over him as he buried his blade into the kunochi's chest and grasped her hair, slitting her throat and pulling her hiatai off in a singular motion. He looked around the clearing and found Itachi dispatching the last enemy. The menacing figure rose, the haunting gaze resting on the tan chuunin. The Akatsuki looked like he wanted to say something but instead turned to leave the clearing.

Iruka growled and not wanting to let his lover go, he teleported directly into Itachi's path. The black eyes narrowed momentarily but a pale hand reached up and pulled a strand of hair off the dark, wet face. In a flash they were hungrily devouring each other's mouths, completely indifferent to the blood that was covering both of their faces. Itachi's hands tightened in the chocolate hair making the full pouty lips part as he attacked the exposed neck. He could feel the vibrations of sound as he pressed his tongue against his chuunin's jugular and Iruka sobbed and whispered.

"I thought I'd lost you. I thought…I thought you were gone forever." Itachi sealed his lips over Iruka's, wanting to comfort the man who he'd distressed so deeply. Iruka used his sleeve to wipe the crimson fluid off the handsome face as Itachi pulled his thumb over the dark lips. The murderer's face softened and a small smile tugged at the corners of his mouth making Iruka gasp at how beautiful his lover looked, smiling gently at him, emotion pouring from his usually icy eyes.

Both of their heads snapped up simultaneously as senbon rained down from the sky. The S-class criminal growled in rage that their perfect little reunion moment had be ruined. Tossing Iruka out of harm's way, he swatted them all down without a single needle breaking his skin. Up in a tree the direction the needles had come from was a black-ops. He wasn't from Konoha. No, he was a Rock ANBU. Itachi's red eyes darted around the clearing. Two more…no, three more. Why was his chuunin guarding someone who would have an ANBU team after them?

'Or are they after me? Have I led my sweet chuunin into a trap designed for me alone?' Itachi wondered. No time to think on it now though. He grasped Iruka's hand, squeezing it in reassurance.

"Stay close to me." Iruka didn't have to be told twice. He pressed his back against Itachi's and dragged his thumb across the pale hand before releasing it as the onslaught began.

The pair were almost immediately separated and Itachi began to fear for his chuunin. Three of the black-ops were surrounding him and one was backing Iruka into the woods away from him. He knew that the Leaf nin wouldn't last long against someone so much above him in skill level. His pulse raced as Iruka slipped from his sight into the dark of the forest, the senbon wielding nin right behind him.

Grunting his concern, the Akatsuki member snapped into action. He could feel anxiety pouring off the Rock nins as he switched from prey to predator. Fingers flying through hands signs he sent a jet of water at the nins who separated avoiding the spray before regrouping. This was what he had been counting on. Finishing the last position on his second jutsu he released a bolt of lightening into the wet ground they were standing on. One of the black-ops was quick enough to get out of the way but the other two fell to the ground their bodies convulsing as electricity flowed through them. Never taking his eyes off his remaining opponent, he pulled out a short katana and stabbed it through the first body. Moving to the second, he placed his foot on the back of the now groaning nin and slid the sharp blade through his neck, severing the man's head.

The body twitched twice under his foot and he could feel the smothered rage of the last remaining man rolling into the empty space between them. His face as emotionless as the white mask on his enemy's face he dashed forward. Their bodies moved quickly, clashing and thrusting each other away. The man was smart enough to use physical attacks as opposed to jutsus that he could copy and use against him. As fast as his opponent was he was no match for Itachi and his sharingan, his attacks easily blocked and his blocks coming up a fraction of a second to late. Soon the nin was bloody from his failed defenses, his motions slowing and his reactions duller. Itachi found the opening his was looking for and thrust his blade into the man's chest. He watched the man fall helplessly to the ground as Iruka leapt back into the clearing, dodging senbons as he jumped from tree to tree.

Itachi watched in horror as Iruka blocked another barrage of needles in the air, several of them to fast and burrowing into his shoulder. He fell to the ground with a thump, gripping his shoulder as the poison spread through his body. Itachi was at his side instantly, pulling the points from his shoulder. Iruka whimpered as his arm went numb. He had anti venom in his bag but he wasn't sure if it could get to it. Iruka felt Itachi's arm slide around him and he gripped the arm with his still functional appendage. He felt his eyes sting with tears as his other arm began to lose feeling. Thin lips pressed to his jaw by his ear.

"Hold on, Chuunin." Iruka swallowed his cry of despair as the warmth of the strong body pulled away from him, cold spreading through his limbs and gripping his chest. He was dying and all he wanted was for Itachi to hold him as he slipped away. Suddenly the warm arms were around him again. A prick in his shoulder brought him out of his increasing darkness. He felt the burning of the antidote pushing through his veins making him grit his teeth and thrash, pushing his body back into the chest and stomach behind him. He could feel Itachi's breath on his ear and could hear that he was speaking but the fire that was pushing through his body was overwhelming.

Itachi clutched his lover who began to shake as the remedy moved through his system.

"Just a few more minutes. You can do this. Hold on." He couldn't remember the last time he'd said so many words at once. Just as he was about to press his lips to the tan face, more senbon flew through the air towards them. He raised his hands snatching them all from the air before they reached their targets before raising his eyes to the nin that had landed on the edge of the clearing. Black spread through his crimson gaze and the black-op froze in place.

Iruka opened his eyes as the last enemy released a tortured scream and collapsed to the forest floor. He took a deep breath as the heaviness in his arms receded.

"I'm okay. Thank you." Itachi grunted and stood up, turning away from him. Iruka watched as Itachi walked slowly to the edge of the clearing…and stumbled.

'Uchiha's don't stumble!' Iruka thought, struggling to his feet. He caught up with the raven as he stumbled again and braced himself on tree.

"Itachi? Itachi are you alright?" The Uchiha nodded and relaxed as Iruka ran his hands over his back. "Why won't you look at me?" Itachi paused not knowing if he should turn around. Slowly he rotated his body, trying not to flinch as he heard Iruka gasp.

"Because I can't see you."

Iruka stared in shock at the blood that was running down the beautiful face from the closed eyes. He cried out in shock and cupped the pale jaw, pressing his lips to Itachi's face.

"Oh gods. Oh…what should I do? What should I…oh, Itachi." The Akatsuki member raised a hand uncertainly, searching blindly for Iruka's cheek. The man wasn't disgusted by his horrible technique, he was hysterical that he might be blind. He smiled as he felt a hand over his, guiding it to the tan face.

"I'll be alright. It's only temporary. You need to go catch up with your team."

"No! I can't just leave you…" A soft thump drew his attention to Kisame who had landed a few feet away. Itachi felt Iruka stiffen in his arms.

"It's alright. Go. I'll see you soon." Iruka hesitated but a reassuring squeeze from the pale hands made him nod, grab his bag and rush from the clearing.

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Jiro and Toshi had just crossed into grass with the client when two ANBU landed beside them. The pair tensed and pulled out weapons when they noticed that black-ops were grass nins.

"Tomi-san, are you alright?" The client nodded to his countrymen.

"Yes, just very tired. Let's just say that our plan didn't work so well." Jiro stepped forward looking menacing.

"What do you mean 'your plan'?" The client sighed and sank to a log and accepted a canteen from the rat masked ANBU.

"I'm not a business man avoiding a competitor. I'm…the dynamo's brother. We wanted to throw my attacker off my trail by sending me with a small group of protection and taking an off-road route." The two chuunin stared at the exhausted man in shock. Jiro growled but Toshi was the one who found his voice first.

"YOU SON OF A BITCH! Iruka-sensei is dead because you didn't tell the missions office who you are!" One of the Grass nins stepped between them but Tomi stood up and looked the chuunin in the eye.

"I'm very sorry. I'll, of course, compensate you for the mission rank and-."

"Compensate! Do you have any idea who just gave their life for you?! Everyone loved Iruka-sensei. He was the best pre-genin teacher in the country. You can't just buy your way out of this! Lady Hokage is going to have your head!" The client and the Grass nins flinched at the thought of an enraged Tsunade.

"I'm very sorry. Clearly, I didn't think this through."

"That," the entire group turned to see Iruka supporting himself against the trunk of a tree, "is an understatement." Jiro and Toshi rushed to their teacher's side, supporting his weight on their shoulders.

"Iruka-sensei! Are you alright? What happened?" Iruka paused and turned around, spilling the contents of his stomach on the ground. Coughing, he straightened up and grasped Jiro's arm.

"Water and ration bars." As the black haired chuunin rushed to his bag, Toshi settled Iruka down a few feet away from their client.

"Fuck…I'm okay. Thanks. I got a dose of poison but I didn't have time to figure out which one, so I used my V6." Toshi gasped and stared at his teacher in shock.

"A V6! You should have gone back to Konoha! How are you even able to stand, never mind catch up to us?" Iruka chuckled darkly.

"In hindsight, yes, I should have but I didn't know if there were any chasing you. I don't think I killed them all." Jiro settled beside the chuunin-sensei, handing him some food and a canteen.

"How many were there?" Iruka scrunched up his face pretending to try to remember. How could he forget?

"Uh, let's see; three, then four more, then four more. Eleven, and then a squad of four black-ops." One of the Grass nins who had been pretending not to listen chuckled but was silenced by a frigid glare from Iruka's usually warm brown eyes. Both young chuunins shuddered at the sudden change in their former teacher.

"You took out fifteen people? Including four Rock black-ops?" Iruka nodded to the second Grass nin.

"What are you, a hunter nin in disguise?" Iruka released a bark of sarcastic laughter, which made him clutch his still very upset stomach. He smiled grimly at his former students who he was shocked to find were looking at him in frightened and morbid fascination.

"Guys, I'm not a hunter. Really. Just extremely lucky to be alive." He stood up, swaying on his feet. The Grass nin who had called him a hunter steadied him as Iruka took in his shoulder length orange hair that seemed so fitting with his tiger mask.

"Thanks, Tiger-san. I'm alright. We should keep moving." The Grass nins nodded but the two young chuunin's protested.

"No way! You need to rest! You still have the V6 in your system. We should wait at least…"

"We should get to the mission end so I can rest properly. Now we need to head out. Toshi, you're on point. Jiro, you're guard. I'll bring up the rear." The two young men nodded and moved into position. Iruka caught the ANBU's arm.

"Tiger-san, would you take up the rear with me?" The blank face regarded him, reading his desire not to appear weak in front of his team. The tiger pulled Iruka's arm over his shoulder and with a nod they set off behind the group, the other grass nin in the trees above them. It wasn't long before the tiger nin pulled a struggling Iruka onto his back. The chuunin had a fever and was beginning to shake by the time Tiger had decided to ignore his statements of being fine. It was about two hours from the village that the ANBU halted the group. Iruka had passed out and was clearly hallucinating.

"Go ahead. I'll treat him and cool him down a bit. We will follow as soon as he's either stable or lucid." Jiro made to protest but Toshi placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder.

"He has more medical knowledge than we do. Please take good care of him, Tiger-san. He's very precious to both us and the village." The masked nin nodded and leapt off in the direction of a nearby lake. The group was silent for a while before Jiro whispered to his friend.

"Do you think he really killed fifteen men all by himself? I mean, four ANBU? That's crazy! Is it even possible?" Toshi didn't answer but couldn't help but think about what the tiger had said. Could Iruka be a hunter nin? How did he survive if his story was true?

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Tiger waded into the cool water with Iruka in his arms. What an enigma the young man was. A chuunin who killed fifteen men. Unheard of, at least for a chuunin of this age. He wasn't a child prodigy. He's a pre-genin teacher!

He ran his hand through the dark hair under the water, his cock springing to life when the man released a deep moan and began to mutter.

"'Tachi. Mmmm." Iruka writhed in his grasp making the Grass nin's mind think of all the terrible, erotic things he could do to the helpless Leaf nin. Those spectacular brown eyes opened without sight and tan hands gripped his shirt.

"'Tachi. Kiss me…please. I'm so cold. Please…warm me…" Tiger was now battling his libido. He needed to stabilize the man a little more before making his decision whether to play or not. He carried the chuunin out of the water and began removing the young man's clothes.

Itachi flinched in the tree as the stranger began to undress his lover. His eyes weren't back to their normal, pristine sharpness but he could easily see the stranger's hands all over his chuunin, who was thrashing on the ground and moaning. The sound of his teeth grinding together made Kisame rest a restraining hand on his shoulder. He could feel the rage rolling off his partner's usually relaxed and emotionless body. The black eyes widened as Iruka moaned loud enough for them to hear.

"Mmmmm. Touch me, Itachi."

Tiger smirked behind his mask and ran his hands down the exposed chest making it arch into his touch. He pulled out a kunai and nicked the tan shoulder, pulling the blade to his nose. Smelling poison in the blood he lifted his mask and tongued the coppery fluid before spitting, pulling out a V2 antidote and injecting it into the brunette. Iruka whimpered and groped at the Grass nin, his fever beginning to wane.

Tiger smirked behind his mask. He had a couple of minutes before the chuunin would be coherent, plenty time for a little seduction. He straddled the narrow hips, amused at the hardness that was bucking up into his. Grinding his hips downward, he heard a throaty groan and more broken pleas from the delicious dark lips.

"Nnnngh!...Itachi…feels so good. I want you…need you. You feel so good inside me. Please…fuck me…love me…Itachi…" Tiger pushed his mask up and ran his tongue over the sinful mouth which opened, giving him access to the warm cavern. It had been a while since he'd gotten laid and the delirious man beneath him was begging for it. The fact that he clearly thought he was someone else was a minor detail. Checking to see that Iruka was still hallucinating, he attacked the slim chest with his mouth leaving purple bruises on the tan collar bones and pectorals. Stroking the wiry musculature, he once again drove his tongue into the chuunin's mouth. The chocolate head began to shake as he pulled back.

"You taste wrong."

'Fuck, he's starting to come out of it.' Tiger thought as he got off the chuunin and reached down to unbutton the younger man's pants. Suddenly the brown eyes flew open and Iruka rolled onto his knees dry heaving. After a few violent coughs, Iruka weakly raised his head glancing about. He jumped as long fingers slid up his side.

"Welcome back." Tiger was holding out a canteen for him and gently rubbing his back. He groaned as his stomach lurched again.

"Wh-what happened?" Feeling too queasy to notice the fingers sliding up and down his spine he took the canteen.

"You still had poison in your system. It happens with V6 sometimes. Because it's designed to work against any poison it doesn't always clear the body completely. I gave you a V2 and broke your fever. You should be alright." Iruka nodded as he screwed the cap back on the water and handed it back to the ANBU. It was only then that he noticed the hands gently exploring his body. Stiffening, he tried to stand up but his weak body refused to comply.

"What are you doing?" The hands paused but weren't removed.

"Relax, Leaf nin. You need to rest." Even as the words were spoken the hands slid underneath him and began to pull down the zipper on his pants. Iruka slapped at one of the arms but he was way too frail to even make a concerted effort.

"That's not restful! Please stop." A low chuckle behind him gave the impression that that wasn't likely to happen. Lips pressed to his back as a throbbing erection ground into his ass. "You really should stop that." Tiger chuckled again, leaning over to whisper in Iruka's ear.

"And why is that, Leaf?" Iruka dropped his head and gritted his teeth as the cock rubbed against him more forcefully.

"Cuz my lover is the jealous type." Tiger outright laughed at Iruka this time, tonguing the large scar on the bronze back from the windmill shuriken.

"You're forgetting something, Leaf nin. He's all the way back in Konoha and we're here. "What is he going to…" The words trailed off and slowly the hands slid off his body. Iruka crawled forward away from the molesting hips and tried to stand but collapsed to the ground yet again. Strong hands grasped his shoulders and he thrashed wildly, trying to shake off the grip.

"Shhhh, Chuunin." Iruka looked up in shock before launching himself with all his strength at Itachi who cradled him in his arms, stroking his hair lovingly. Itachi ran one of his fingers over a bruise on Iruka's chest making the older nin stutter.

"I…I'm sorry. I…didn't…I thought he was you….I…Itachi I'd never…" The raven pressed their lips together silencing him.

"I know." He released a tiny contented sigh as Iruka relaxed in his arms and for a moment they just held each other. A shuffling from a few feet away drew their attention to Tiger and another Itachi who was holding a kunai to his throat. Iruka sighed and buried his head in the crook of Itachi's neck.

"You can't, baby. Much as I want you to, you can't."

"Hn?" Iruka smiled at the classic Uchiha grunt used in question form.

"He's supposed to be bringing me back. How am I going to explain that he died when I bring his corpse to the village with me? They already don't believe me about the others and for good reason. I've got anti-venom in my blood and wouldn't stand a chance against him. You have to let him go." The clone disappeared with a pop and Itachi leaned down and kissed the dark lips one more time.

"I'll be watching." Iruka smiled as the raven vanished. After pulling on his clothes, the two headed out towards the village in oppressive silence. As they approached the village Tiger finally spoke.

"I'm sure your Hokage would be interested in hearing that you're fucking Akatsuki." Iruka shot him a very Uchiha-like glare.

"No more so than your T and I (torture and interrogation) expert would be in hearing you almost raped an ally." They walked in silence for a few more minutes letting each other's threats sink in.

"I think we have an understanding." With that Tiger leapt up into the trees.

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Jiro sighed as they set up camp. The past three days had been bizarre to say the least. Iruka was…scary. He'd been irritable and glaring at everything that moved since he'd gotten to their destination and his mood hadn't lightened on the way home either. Until this morning, that is. He'd crawled from his tent this morning to see Iruka smiling while making breakfast for them. The sensei was chatty and seemed to be back to his old self…which begged the question, what exactly had changed over night?

/Flashback/

_Toshi had woken Iruka for his watch before turning in for the night. He knew that he'd been behaving like a petulant teenager for days but he couldn't seem to snap himself out of his bad mood. He missed Itachi. His body seemed to be aching for the knowledge that he was still desired. It was now just over a week since the last time they'd had sex and it was driving him up the wall. One week is not the appropriate length of time to make you irritable from lack of getting fucked. Before Itachi he'd gone without for years before it became a problem._

_Sighing he pulled his hair out of its tie and massaged his scalp. A noise from the edge of the clearing made him jump to his feet. His face broke into a dazzling smile as he made out Itachi's lean form in the shadows. Listening carefully to his former students to make sure they were asleep he crept over to the tree Itachi was leaning against. Immediately strong hands wound in his hair and pushed him up against the tree. He moaned loudly and wrapped his legs around the muscular frame, making both of them freeze as Jiro stirred in his sleeping bag. Itachi plundered his mouth silently, both of them drinking each other in like hungry animals. Finally breaking the kiss for air Iruka looked woefully at his sleeping teammates._

"_I can't leave. If something happened to them I'd never forgive myself." The thin, pale lips descended again and Itachi pulled Iruka away from the campsite. Iruka began to protest when a second pair of hands slid up his back. His head whipped his head around in shock to find a second Itachi kissing his neck. He moaned and leaned back, kissing the second pale man ferociously. The Itachi not supporting his weight whisper in his ear,_

"_I'll watch them. If anything comes up we'll transport you back." Iruka moaned again, grinding himself furiously against the man holding him. A brief chakra surge and they were transported away from the clearing into a limestone cave. Itachi set him down and commanded him to strip. Like he needed to be told!_

_After stripping bare Iruka shivered in the cool, dank air as Itachi stared at him. He took a step towards the still fully clothed Akatsuki when a throat clearing from behind him made him spin again. There, sprawled out on his bedroll was a fully naked Itachi. Confused, Iruka turned back to the first who was smirking and nodded for him to join the clothe-less man. Iruka completely forgetting that under that bedroll was hard ground and not a bed jumped on Itachi making them both groan in pain. He whispered an apology before winding his hands in the black silk and crushing their lips together. The dark lips and sparkling, white teeth slid down the pale, naked flesh and Itachi decided he wouldn't hold a grudge. And when the warm mouth descended further and he felt hot breath on his twitching member he groaned loudly and carded his hands into the chocolate locks._

"_Aaah! Forgiven." He looked down to see those warm brown eyes sparkling with mischief, the full dark lips so close to his cock. He bucked his hips but Iruka pulled back and waggled a finger in a very teacher like manner._

"_Tsk-tsk. Patience, Killer." Itachi arched and elegant, black brow. Was his chuunin teasing him? A nip on his inner thigh told him that may be the case. Well, two could play at this game._

_Iruka slowly slid his hands up the insides of the alabaster thighs and bit into one of the pale hips. Itachi hissed and thrust upward as the abused flesh was tongued. Nervous but wracked with desire, Iruka moved his mouth to over Itachi's throbbing cock. He'd only ever had this beautiful piece of flesh between his lips but this was the first time he'd really wanted it there. Licking his lips he dropped his head so that his lips brushed the velvety skin. His heart slammed into his chest as he tried to push down his insecurities and opened his mouth. Suddenly another pair of hands grabbed him tightly. The Itachi that had carried him here was now naked and kneeling behind him. Pale arms slid under his and hands wound into the dark hair and much to everyone in the room's surprise the Itachi started whispering in Iruka's ear._

"_Is thinking about sucking that cock making you hard? Do you want to feel it slide in between hot lips of yours? Feel your mouth stretch around it?" Iruka moaned and bucked as his captor ground against him. His arms were released and the pale hands began exploring his torso as Itachi reformed the love bite on his neck._

_Itachi watched from his back the very erotic sight of himself all over Iruka.. It was spectacular and made him wonder why he'd never done it before. He watched his hand slide down and tickle Iruka's hip, the pathetic and sexy sounds coming from the brunette as he was teased driving him wild. Finally he stood before the pair, trying to wrap his head around watching himself ravage the bronze body beneath him while his cock bobbed just above their heads._

_Itachi plunged his tongue into Iruka's mouth, grinding himself against Iruka a little more forcefully. He spread the golden cheeks and teased the perfect hole with his finger making Iruka gasp and push back, but Itachi removed the finger immediately._

"_Aren't you forgetting something, Chuunin?" Iruka's gaze was guided forward to where Itachi was standing over him, member presented like an offering. "Suck him. He's waiting." The finger was back, taunting him and Iruka mewled and leaned forward to grasp the hips but Itachi pinned his arms with his free hand. "No. Just your mouth. That, hot, sexy mouth." Something wet swept from the corner of his mouth across his upper lip and the chuunin whimpered as Itachi licked him. The brown eyes slid shut in ecstasy as a hand finally began to stroke his now purpling member._

"_Oh, gods! Fuck!" There was a chuckle from both in front and behind him._

"_No, Chuunin. You have to suck before we fuck." These words tossed Iruka back into the land of the coherent and he tilted his body forward and took as much of Itachi in his mouth as he could._

_Even though he had been expecting it, even though he'd been watching and saw Iruka open his mouth his knees almost buckled from the sensations of the warm, eager, oh gods, so eager, mouth around him. Iruka was not very skilled but he more than made up for it with his desire to please. Itachi whispered directions in the tan ear coaxing Iruka to try something new as the brunette became more and more comfortable._

"_Yeah, that's it, Chuunin. You look so hot with his cock in your mouth, with my cock in your mouth. Fuck, yeah. Run your tongue along it. That's it. Look at him Chuunin. Look at how much pleasure you give him. Only you can do this for him. Only you make him feel that good, like a god." Itachi released Iruka's arms and the chuunin moaned around the leaking cock and grasped the pale hips before him, moving his head along the shaft savagely. He didn't even pause when Itachi bucked and made him gag, pushing himself to go faster and take more. A hand fell into his hair and seeing as how two hands were already on his body he knew it was from the Itachi above him._

"_Easy, Chuunin. Don't hurt yourself." Iruka's eyes narrowed and he responded by digging his fingers into Itachi's hips and ass cheeks and increasing the suction. Surprised, Itachi dropped to his knees and placed one hand on each side of the dark head, thrusting gently into Iruka's face. Iruka forced himself not to gag and taking a deep breath swallowed as much of the cock as he could, massaging it with his throat. Itachi growled and thrust once but the other Itachi grabbed his hips as Iruka began to choke. Watery brown eyes turned upwards and the silent Itachi couldn't stay quiet any longer._

"_Gods you're so beautiful. So fucking gorgeous. Are you crying because I hurt you?" Iruka shook his head and sucked a little harder. "You're crying because you think you don't please me, aren't you?" Iruka just looked up at him, his mouth to full of dick to respond. Itachi pulled out of the hot mouth with a pop as Itachi pulled Iruka up between them._

_Iruka's lip trembled as Itachi withdrew from his mouth. He knew he'd been terrible but he'd had a couple pretty shitty blowjobs in his time and even they were worth finishing. He was being pulled off his hands but he didn't want to look up. Itachi in front of him already knew he was crying but the shame of being so terrible at pleasing someone made it so much worse. A strong muscular chest on each side of him, hands pulling aside his hair and a hand lifting his chin. He kept his eyes lowered though still unable to meet the dark gaze of the perfect man._

"_So silly, Chuunin." The Itachi behind him whispered in his ear as he laid kisses along the bronze neck._

"_So insecure." The other Itachi hissed and he kissed the tan jaw._

"_Has no idea how sexy he is."_

"_How irresistible."_

"_I bet every man in the village wants him." Iruka arched violently and screamed as a lubed finger slid into him. A second finger quickly joined it and Iruka realized that they weren't from the same hand…they weren't even from the same body. Two separate Itachi's were fingering him! The Itachi in front of him licked his cheeks, wiping away the remnants of the salty tears with his tongue._

"_But my sweet Chuunin only lets me into his bed." Another finger slid in, stretching him carefully before another slid in along with it._

"_Into his body…" The fingers from two hands twisted and thrust._

"_His mind…"_

"_His heart…"_

_Iruka's concept of reality and all rational thought disintegrated. Two Itachi's. Two broad chests on either side of him. Two heads of long, black, silky hair. Two pairs of lips hungrily exploring his face and neck while alternating lines of praise. Two pairs of charcoal eyes watching his ever shiver and gasp. FOUR hands caressing him inside and out. He now had five fingers inside of him and was beginning to feel very full. He began to squirm and whimper as they worked._

"_Shhh, Chuunin. You have to be stretched for what we're going to do." Iruka quirked an eye brown in question but when realization set in he bucked onto their fingers and screamed like barbarian._

"_Oh fuck! You're both going to fuck me! Oh gods, yes! I'm gonna cum! Aaah!" But just as he was about to shoot his load all over the pale stomach he felt a familiar tingle around the base of his cock. He looked down to see a ring of blue chakra around his now painfully hard erection. He sobbed lightly at the theft of his orgasm but Itachi smiled a soft, mildly sadistic smile and ran his long elegant fingers over the head. Iruka screamed again and his body convulsed in a dry release, his ass clenching around the now six fingers buried inside him._

_Itachi smirked as the shaking tan body collapsed on Itachi, their fingers still in the tight passageway. Itachi looked up at him from behind Iruka's shoulder._

"_He may be too tight. I don't know if this will work. W e could hurt him." But Iruka grabbed a handful of black hair from both in front and behind him._

"_Oh gods, please try! I'll be okay just please…gods, please try!" Both Itachis smirked at how needy Iruka sounded. Sliding so that the chatty Itachi was being straddled by the Itachi in front of him they slicked up their erections._

"_Okay, go slow, Chuunin. Stop if it's too much." Four hands positioned him over the pulsing cocks and lowered him until both members were pressing against him. Iruka pressed down but that was clearly not going to work. One slick member slid into him and thrust a couple of times before two fingers slid in beside it. Iruka whimpered and dropped his forehead to the Itachi in front of him's chest. Two strong arms wrapped around him as kisses were strung along his left shoulder._

"_Are you alright, Chuunin?" Iruka nodded and groaned as the fingers began to move._

"_Aaaah. Yeah, don't stop. Nnnngh, Itachi!!" Slowly his body began to relax and Itachi thrust into him along with the fingers. The hands were lifting him again and two heads pressed against the ring of muscles. Releasing a deep breath he pressed his hips down gasping and clawing at both Itachi's as the caps of both cocks entered him. He tried to press down more but the hands stopped him and Itachi whispered in his ear._

"_Not so fast." Iruka whimpered and tried to press down again, wincing as a little more flesh slid into him. Both Itachis chuckled._

"_So eager..."_

"_So tight…" Strong arms lifted him and lowered him again so that he was even more filled._

"_So sexy…"_

"_So mine…" Iruka gasped as their breaths caressed him and they began to work in and out in a precise rhythm. Groans and cries echoed of the walls of the cave as the trio worked to get both cocks buried in the tan body. Finally with a guttural scream Iruka thrust downward and could feel both laps beneath him. He leaned back into Itachi's shoulder as Itachi kissed down his Adam's apple and dropped his lips to one of the pert, dusky nipples. Iruka began to sob at the feeling of being so completely surrounded and filled._

"_Oh gods! So good. So good!" Both Itachi's chuckled as they resumed their slow pounding of the incredibly stretched ass._

"_That's it Chuunin. Does it feel good? Do you like two cocks inside you?" Iruka cried and lifted his weight giving them more room._

"_YES! Fuck Itachi. Only you. You feel so good. Please I…I need to cum!" A hand slid over his member and his body was wracked with another dry orgasm. His screams were accompanied by grunts and groans of the two men inside him as he contracted around them._

"_So close, Chuunin…"_

"_So fucking tight…" Iruka felt the band of chakra disappear from around the base of his member and their speed increased. Suddenly the Itachi in front of him's face contorted in bliss and he felt hot fluid pouring inside of him. His body clenched again as he erupted like a volcano all over Itachi and himself. Itachi held him vertical as he thrust upwards mercilessly, the cum acting as increased lubrication. Grunts of pleasure spewed from behind him as Iruka rode out his orgasm and Itachi emptied himself into the overflowing hole. Iruka gasped and convulsed once more before he blacked out, collapsing on one raven as another stroked his back and hair._

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_Iruka awoke to warmth and the gentle caressing of his back. He opened his eyes to see Itachi smiling softly at him. It was easily the most shocking and beautiful thing he'd ever seen. He smiled back just resting and enjoying the spectacular view of his lover's face. Panic flowed into his body as he clutched the pale arms._

"_How long was I out? What time is it?" Itachi chuckled and kissed the tan forehead._

"_You were only out for twenty minutes. It's still the middle of the night." Iruka smiled and cuddled into the broad chest. It was only after a minute or two of relaxing that he realized there were too many hands on him. He craned his neck and saw the second Itachi smirking at him._

"_Hi there." Iruka groaned and rolled on his back, covering his eyes with one of his arms._

"_Congratulations, you did ruin me. How could I EVER even think of sleeping with someone else after that? Two of you…fuck! That was so good I think it took a year off my life." Both pale men chuckled and kissed the bronze neck. Iruka smiled and ran his hands through the black silky hair._

"_So which one of you is real?" The Itachi on his left smirked and winked making Iruka grin widely. "And which one of you was behind me?" The same Itachi winked again and Iruka laughed. "Who new you were so chatty?" Itachi frowned and looked away. Iruka turned his face back towards him. "It was so hot. I never thought I'd hear you whisper those dirty things in my ear." A small smirk formed on the scowling face and Itachi purred deeply. Iruka reached back and pulled the other Itachi flush against him._

"_I never thought I'd see you smile or hear you laugh either." He lay there in complete bliss, wrapped up in two pairs of strong arms. Humming his contentment, Iruka cuddled into the warmth of the bodies._

"_Itachi?"_

"_Hn?"_

"_What…what is going to happen to us? Will we always have to hide like this? It's worth it but…"_

"_Grey." Iruka looked up at Itachi who was staring at the roof of the cave._

"_Huh?"_

"_My favorite colour is grey."_

"_Okay, but seriously…"_

"_Kisame and I get along well enough, though he's been a pain in the ass for the past three months." Iruka chuckled._

"_YOU think he's a pain in the ass?" Itachis' arms tightened around him in way of apology for letting Kisame hurt him._

"_I miss the village all the time but it's been even harder since I met you." Iruka couldn't believe what he was hearing. Itachi was pouring his heart to him. He stroked the pale, chiseled jaw but Itachi kept his eyes averted. It didn't really matter though. This was a moment he never expected from the cold hearted killer._

"_I never answered your questions because leaving you was always hard enough as it was." A small undignified noise rose from the back of Iruka's throat and he tried to pull Itachi back towards him but the Uchiha remained fixed. So instead he pressed back into the Itachi behind him, kissing the long, thin fingers gently but never taking his eyes off his real lover. The questions that were left were the hardest and the black eyes slid closed as if trying to block out painful images._

"_I never wanted to hurt Sasuke. Growing up he was the only person I ever gave a damn about. And now he's off with that snake, who's doing god knows what to him just so he can get strong enough to kill me." The tortured, black eyes turned to him, making Iruka's heart break._

"_I was trying to protect him." Iruka abandoned the Itachi behind him and pulled the raven before him into his arms. His tears ran down onto the pale face as he pressed his lips to the soft skin._

_Itachi felt the full lips tremble against his face. He loved that this man, this teacher, this…no…his chuunin could show all the emotions that he'd long since beaten out of himself. He couldn't cry for anyone anymore and here Iruka's tears were dripping down onto his face. He kissed the streams of sadness off the tan cheeks and tucked the chocolate head under his chin._

"_I-Itachi…I…I lov-." Jerking back Itachi pressed his lips to Iruka's to silence him. _

'_Don't say that, Chuunin. Don't ever say that. Once you say that I'm completely lost.' With a finger pressed to the full lips he gazed into Iruka's eyes wishing he hadn't. It was all there. Every word he couldn't stand to hear, every emotion he wanted to pretend wasn't real was pouring out of those expressive, coffee orbs. Those eyes seemed to burn past his layers of defense that he'd spent years building and his finger slid off of the lips._

_Iruka gazed into the charcoal eyes which seemed so conflicted. Did Itachi want him to say it now? Was that fear in those black depths? He opened his mouth to ask but the black eyes widened and the powerful frame sat bolt upright._

"_Your team is up. Get dressed." Iruka threw on his clothes, searching for his hiatai frantically. Itachi pulled him into his arms and tied the elusive headband around his forehead before the cave disappeared._

_Iruka could hear Toshi calling him._

"_Yeah! I'm here. Go back to bed!"_

"_What are you doing?"_

"_I'm making out with Akatsuki…I'm taking a piss! What do you think I'm doing?" He heard a low rumble in his lover's chest and he smiled up at him. The kissed fiercely and finally broke apart. Itachi watched Iruka walk back to his teammate and settle by the fire before striding away. _

_He clutched his chest as pain entered his heart for the first time in ages. Even when he'd found out that Sasuke had left the village he hadn't allowed himself to feel but now…now the years of repressed emotions seemed to be crushing him in this one single moment, tearing away everything he knew and cramming the gaping void in him with cinnamon skin, chocolate hair and eyes, and a smile that would make holy men sin and sinners repent. Pushing those thoughts from his mind he headed off to find his partner; they had a Grass nin to kill._

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Kakashi leaned against the side of the building with his bright orange book in hand, looking very bored and lazy like he usually did. However, anyone watching him closely would notice that he hadn't flipped a page in half an hour and his eye kept darting to a group of young chuunins and genins not far away.

"I mean…it could be true. Who else could take out fifteen men by themselves? Either the Rock ninjas suck or Iruka-sensei has more skills than he lets on."

"But a hunter nin? Come on! Think about Iruka-sensei for a second. Do you really think that he could hunt down and kill rogue nins? People he knew, grew up with or even taught? It's not in his nature." Jiro looked at the genin kunochi and shook his head.

"I didn't think so either but…well…when we were on the mission he was…different."

"What do you mean 'different'?"

"He was cold and snappy and he had this glare that was absolutely bone chilling. I'm not saying one way or another but I've never seen him like that before."

Having heard enough Kakashi closed his book and moved past the group and out into the street. Spotting Iruka, he slid in beside him at Ichiraku's.

"So 'Ruka, are the rumors true?" Iruka groaned and dropped his head to the counter.

"Fuuuuuck. Not you too. I'm going to kill those boys for spreading that rumor." The jounin chuckled and patted his friend on the back.

"Maybe everyone is still talking about it because they haven't heard you deny it yet." Iruka looked up at Kakashi, his head still on the ledge.

"Look at me! I shouldn't have to deny it. I should be dead and now Lady Tsunade keeps trying to convince me to take the jounin exam."

"Well, maybe you should. You're more than capable even if you ignore your somewhat miraculous last mission."

"Noooo. First of all it was not somewhat miraculous. That monstrosity of a mission was easily the biggest fluke in the history of the planet. Secondly, I like teaching. I don't want to give up my position, which I'd have to if I was promoted. Thirdly, not only am I not good enough to be a jounin, I'm not mentally tough enough either. I just want to keep taking simple missions and spend my evenings at home alone. Is that really so much to ask?"

"Hmmph. If that's what you really want," the jounin pulled down Iruka's collar to expose the still dark purple hickey, "but something tells me you haven't been spending that much time alone."

Iruka straightened up and jerked up his collar shooting Kakashi his newly discovered Uchiha glare. The older nin held up his hands in defense.

"Whoa! No need for that. I think you just iced up my veins with that look. So…are you going to tell me who gave you that love bite?" Iruka blushed scarlet and became very interested in the remainders of his lunch.

"I don't think so." Kakashi chuckled and bumped the chuunin's shoulder.

"Come oooooon. I can keep a secret." Iruka scowled and turned away.

"No. Just drop it, okay?"

"Oooh. Did you and your mystery squeeze get in a fight? Does that mean you're back on the market?" Iruka glared furiously at his friend before tossing some money on the counter and turned to leave. "'Ruka…"

"Fuck off, Kakashi." The jounin jumped up to follow but to his surprise Iruka spun around to face him. "Just stop, okay? I don't want to talk about it, especially not with you!" Kakashi's mouth fell open behind his mask and he stared at one of his closest friends in shock. A wave of guilt washed through Iruka and he ran a hand over his restrained hair in frustration.

"Why does everything have to be a joke to you? It pisses me off that you think my life is so hilarious. Fuck! Why do you always make me feel like I'm flying off the handle? You're the one being a jerk!" Kakashi dropped his gaze to Iruka's feet.

"I'm sorry. I thought you liked how we joke around. I'll leave you alone like you want." Iruka groaned loudly and grabbed the retreating nin's arm pulling him into a tight hug.

"I'm sorry. I'm just really on edge right now. I do like how you make me laugh. It just hits the wrong buttons when I'm in a mood like this." The jounin's arms tightened around the smaller man and he nuzzled the top of the chocolate head, both of them completely oblivious that their embrace was drawing the attention of several villagers.

"What's going on Iruka? You've been acting strange for months. Most of the time you're…you, carefree or embarrassed but then you do a one-eighty and you're defensive, withdrawn or downright hostile. Talk to me. We're friends, aren't we?" Iruka sighed and gently pushed Kakashi away.

"Yeah, Kakashi. You're the best friend I've got…but I can't talk about it, not right now anyway. Come on, walk me home." Kakashi nodded and slung an arm over Iruka's shoulder in a purely platonic manner and Iruka smiled up at him. Yes, this was okay. If Iruka needed a close friend he would be more than happy to be there for him. Maybe eventually it would progress but for the time being he would drop the innuendo and concentrate on what Iruka needed.

Iruka grabbed his mail outside his door, flipping through it as Kakashi danced around the issue of the hickey. Smirking as the jounin teased him he ripped open an envelope with no return address. He pulled out the folded note and a long sliver chain fell to the ground. Kakashi stopped talking as Iruka read the letter that had only a date, two days ago, and one simple line written on it.

_See you in two weeks._

Iruka's wistful moment was interrupted by a loud yelp. He looked at Kakashi who was glaring at the chain on the floor like it bit him.

"What's wrong?" Kakashi looked up at him and then back at the floor in disbelief.

"It…It burned me!" Iruka laughed at the completely incredulous look on his friend's face and scooped the necklace off the ground. The long, thin silver chain was plain except for a simple round pendant with I.U engraved on each side. Iruka smiled, realizing for the first time that they had the same initials making the gift completely innocuous.

"It's fine, see?" Iruka held the necklace out in his hand towards Kakashi who hesitated but plucked the chain out of Iruka's hand. It barely touched his skin before he hissed in pain and dropped it again. Iruka inspected his hand which had a thin blister running across all four fingers.

"I don't believe it!"

"What the hell is that thing?" Iruka chuckled to himself, scooping up the chain he placed it around his neck and tucked it into his shirt.

"What a psycho."

"Did you just call me a psycho?" Iruka looked up shocked, forgetting that Kakashi was still here.

"Uh, no. Sorry. It must react to chakra signatures that aren't mine."

"Who would send you something like that?" Kakashi was now very interested in the gift. "Would it be someone who, from the look of your neck, thinks they're a vampire?" Iruka blushed and punched the jounin in the shoulder.

"Shut up. Are you okay?" Kakashi inspected his hand and nodded.

"I think whoever sent it is a possessive nutcase!" Iruka smiled softly and nodded.

"Yeah, I guess he is." He clapped a hand to his forehead when Kakashi elbowed him in the side.

"He? Oooooh. Now we're getting somewhere. So, do you pitch or catch?"

"Oh for the love of…go away 'Kashi." The jounin began to walk away, laughing the whole time. Iruka unlocked his door but Kakashi's voice made him turn.

"Hey 'Ruka. If you were pitching you would have answered the question." The brown eyes rolled and he half heartedly slammed the door.

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Iruka tried to keep his pace slow as he half walked half ran home from the academy. This was the first time he knew to expect Itachi and he wanted to make tonight as romantic as possible. He felt giddy as he thought about his fridge that was full of amazing food and wine, the dozens of pillar candles he'd bought last week and the cd he'd compiled with the perfect mixture of sensual songs that reminded him of the sexy raven. His pulse raced as his building came into view. When he reached the stairs he took them three at a time pausing only to wave to Kotetsu who was clearly trying to get him to stay and chat. It was only five o'clock and he had no idea when Itachi would be coming but he wasn't going to be caught unprepared, not tonight.

The next four hours flew by. Well the first two hours flew by, the last two dragged on in endless, torturous perpetuity. After having a shower and setting the candles out all over the apartment, he cooked up a batch of tempura chicken and vegetables and completely mangled over half of the sushi he was trying to wrap. He set out the wine and two glasses on the table with the food and then proceeded to the bathroom for the longest primping session he'd ever partaken in. It only killed about half an hour and soon he was wandering around his apartment shuffling piles of junk into drawers and cupboards, picking the more sloppily rolled sushi off the tray and changing his clothes several times. Finally at just after nine he changed into a pair of loose jeans and left his chest bare, bare except for the long silver chain that hung directly between his nipples, and lit all the candles. After putting his new CD on repeat he settled down on the couch with a stack of papers. After about an hour of distractedly trying to work, he fell asleep.

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Itachi pressed his back against the wall of the shop and held his breath as a patrol passed a few feet away from him. It was harder to get into the village tonight than it had ever been. He darted from one alley way to another carefully masking his presence. He stepped out into a street and froze as he saw a man walking towards him. The man who was walking to wards him had his face buried behind an orange book and his shock of sliver hair splayed out over the top of the cover. Kakashi. Itachi remembered him well but who didn't? He quickly henged into the first person he could think of.

Kakashi looked up to see Iruka walking towards him, trying to avoid his eye.

"Hey 'Ruka…What's with the henge?" Itachi forced himself into Iruka's state of mind and bit his lip shyly. This just felt too wrong. He was getting turned on by acting like his chuunin.

"Aaaaah trying to hide that hickey, huh?" Itachi tried not to both smirk at the idea that his mark of possession had been seen and his rage that Kakashi had gotten close enough to see it. "So, it's after eleven and you're still out and about. What's the occasion?" Itachi was getting nervous now. He didn't really know Iruka well enough to hold a conversation as him; they didn't really do much talking.

"I just needed some fresh air but it's late and I should get home. Good night Kakashi-san." Kakashi just nodded and watched Iruka walk away.

'Kakashi-san? That wasn't Iruka.'

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When Itachi appeared in the apartment the sight that greeted him nearly took his breath away. The room was lit by the soft glow of dozens of vanilla and cinnamon scented candles. He shrugged off his cloak and ran a finger along the tray holding the now cold tempura, smiling softly at the trouble Iruka had taken to make every thing perfect. The whirl of the cd player restarting the disk lured him into the living room where he let his gaze fall on the brunette sleeping deeply on the couch. A stack of papers littered the floor from where they had fallen from Iruka's hand. Carefully sidestepping them Itachi lowered himself gently to the sofa, watching the naked chest rise and fall rhythmically. As the music began to play again he trailed his fingers along the chain that lay against the bronze skin.

_/I would die for you. I would die for you. I've been dying just to feel you by my side. To know that you're mine./ _

Iruka stirred but didn't wake and Itachi pulled off his shirt, trailing the fingers over the chuunin's naked arms. Leaning down, he inhaled deeply; his sharp eyes watching the soft hairs on sensitive skin stand up as his breath caressed the side of the tan neck.

_/I would cry for you. I would cry for you. I will wash away your pain with all my tears. And drown your fear./_

Iruka took a long drawn breath before his eyes flew open and his body tensed.

"Shhh, it's me, Chuunin." Iruka gasped and carded his hands in the black hair, pulling the raven's head beside his and nuzzling the pale temple. Itachi sat up, dragging his chuunin with him, pressing their lips together in a slow, passionate embrace. Their tongues caressed and soothed as they sunk deeply into each other's mouths, reveling in the perfection of the intimate moment. Iruka mewled and whimpered as Itachi sucked his tongue and nipped as his lips and the S-class criminal marveled at how sweet the warm cavern tasted.

_/I would pray for you. I would pray for you. I would sell my soul for something pure and true…someone like you./_

Breaking the kiss for air, pale hands began to caress the tan face, the soft skin on bridges of their noses rubbing affectionately.

"Did you eat anything?" Itachi whispered as he pecked the horizontal scar that ran between Iruka's cheek bones. Iruka shook his head, his eyes closed in pleasure like a pet being stroked as the pale lips darted around his face. "Then we should eat." Itachi tried to stand up but the chuunin pulled him back down and pressed him against the back of the couch. Grunting in surprise the raven smirked as the smaller man crawled on top of him and straddled his lap. "Not hungry?" Iruka smiled slyly and began to rock his hips in time with the slow hypnotic beat making Itachi throw his head back and moan.

"I'm famished." The breathy whisper into the obsidian hair set them both into a frenzy, clawing and mauling each other in a furious attempt to get closer, to feel and taste more.

_/See your face every place that I'm walkin'. Hear your voice every time that I'm talkin'./_

The low murmur of Itachi's name pushed them even further, each of them struggling out of their pants while keeping the fierce intensity of the moment.

_/You will believe in me…and I will never be ignored./_

Soon both men were completely naked except for the necklace bouncing on the tan chest. As their bodies, slick with sweat slid together Iruka dragged his nails down Itachi's neck, making the younger nin hiss in pleasure and pain.

_/I will burn for you. Feel pain for you. I would twist the knife and bleed my aching heart…and tear it apart./_

The chuunin lifted his weight off the long lap, his lips parting as hot flesh pressed against his opening. Gripping the sides of the angular pale face, his fingers curling into the black hair, Iruka gazed into the bottomless dark of his lover's eyes and slowly lowered himself on to the hard member.

_/I would lie for you. Beg and steal for you. I would crawl on hands and knees until you see…you're just like me./_

The chuunin's head fell back in ecstasy as he bucked against the pale chest. Itachi strong hands slid up his back, bracing him as he swung his hips, moving up and down on the erect shaft.

_/Violate all the love that I'm missin'. Throw away all the pain that I'm livin'. You will believe in me, and I will never be ignored./_

They moved against each other slowly, nothing in their movements hurried or frantic.

_/I would die for you./_

Itachi ran his tongue over the tan jugular making Iruka moan and tilt his chin down to capture the pale lips.

_/I would kill for you…/_

The powerful, bronze legs flexed raising the lithe body up and down, both men sighing and moaning into each other's mouths.

_/I will steal for you.../_

Pulling back their eyes locked heatedly and they lost themselves in the pleasure of the moment.

_/I'd do time for you.../_

Itachi tangled a hand in the chocolate hair and pulled their foreheads together.

_/I will wait for you…/_

Through the sweat and the electric sensations both men slowly came to the same conclusion.

_/I'd sail ships for you…/_

Nothing about what was happening to them and between them was just about sex anymore.

_/To be close to you…/_

Itachi looked up at the face contorted in desire and realized that that they hadn't just fucked for over a month, they were making love.

_/To be a part of you…/_

Iruka gazed down at the usually porcelain face that was tinted pink and understood how far past infatuation he truly was.

_/'Cause I believe in you…/_

Their lips met gently in admission of how deep they were each feeling as they both approached their climax.

_/I believe in you…/_

Both of their grips tightened as waves of pleasure crashed over them, their frames shaking as both body and mind were wracked with release. Panting, Iruka collapsed forward, burying his dripping face in the slightly tussled black, silky locks. They lay together, their sweaty bodies cooling in the night air.

_/I would die for you…/_

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They ate with Iruka on Itachi's lap teasing and kissing as they sucked food from each other's fingers and mouths. After another round of carnal pleasure they were lying on Iruka's bed stroking each other's hair.

"'Tachi?" The chuunin's heart was in his throat. He'd never done something as colossally stupid as what he was about to. Itachi raised an eyebrow and grunted, pulling Iruka's head into his. "Why…" The older nin drew a deep breath and tightened his hold on his lover. "Why…" No matter how hard he tried he couldn't seem to make his mouth form the words. Itachi licked the full pouty lips before pressing their mouths together in a quick, chaste kiss.

"Just ask."

"Why did you kill your clan?" The body in his arms went rigid and dread spread through the cinnamon chuunin. Itachi pushed out of his arms and slid to the edge of the bed.

"Itachi, I'm sorry. Please don't go. I…don't need to know. I'm sorry!" Iruka disentangled himself from the sheets but froze when he saw Itachi lean forward as he sat on the edge of the bed, rest his arms on his knees and drag a hand over his face in a worn-down manner. Suddenly the elder Uchiha look so much older than his tender years and Iruka scarcely breathed, waiting to hear what the raven was about to say.

A heavy silence descended between them for a minute that seemed like an eternity. Finally, drawing a deep breath and releasing it in a sigh Itachi began.

"You can never repeat what I'm about to tell you." Iruka nodded and crawled forward, stopping before he reached the broad pale back when he saw the muscles tighten. So he waited his mind racing with the possibilities. What could possibly be worse than what the story already was?

"Do you know about the war before the village was formed?" Iruka looked at the back of the bowed head in shock, not expecting the answer to be this complicated. Sliding forward again he trailed his fingers down Itachi's shoulder blades trying to unstuck his voice.

"Uuuh, yeah. Of course. The Uchiha and the Senju clans were the most powerful forces in the land. The war dragged on for years as they fought for control of the territory."

"Actually it lasted a lot longer than that. When the alliance was formed _Uchiha Mardra_," Itachi spit the name out like it was poison, "thought that the newly formed Konoha was trying to subdue the Uchiha by choosing Senju Hashirama as the first Hokage. He tried to stand against the decision but no one in the glad stood with him, everyone too afraid they would be plunged back into war. He fought the first at the valley end and when he was defeated everyone thought that the animosity was dead and buried." Iruka rested his forehead against his lover's back, pressing his lips to the scarred skin.

"Please, go on."

"The second Hokage created the military police and gave entire control of the outfit to the Uchiha clan as a symbol of his and the village's trust in them. Many of the clan saw this as a way of secluding the clan from the general population. Animosity stirred underneath the surface of our united village for ninety years. Then when I was moved to jounin my family came to me and told me to accept the ANBU position I'd been offered. They wanted me close to the third so that I could feed them information about the village." Iruka felt his head spin, his confusion making him feel very stupid with the genius Uchiha.

"But why…"

"They were planning a coup d'etat." Iruka didn't gasp because his chest tightened to the point of paralysis. The whole room began to tilt dangerously as his brain screamed for oxygen. His fingers dug into Itachi's shoulders as his vision started to go dark. A muscular arm reached back and pulled the tan and fair frames closer. Feeling the warmth of the body before him, Iruka took a deep shuddering breath and laid his cheek on Itachi.

"Oh gods…"

"I love this village. I always have. I didn't want there to be a repeat of the past, civilians, young genin, my brother, would all be unable to escape the horrors of war. I couldn't let that happen so I became a double agent telling the council and the Third everything I could about what they were planning. When the situation was finally coming to a head, the council put forth a plan to end the 'Uchiha problem' once and for all. They ordered me to kill the entire clan and leave the village, keeping the council's hands seemingly clean." A wave of nausea and disillusionment washed over the chuunin as he clung to his lover in absolute shock.

"No…no! They couldn't! They…they made you do it? They actually asked you to kill your whole family? I…oh 'Tachi." For the first time in his life Iruka understood that even though he had suffered, lost friends and family, bled and cried for the village, he was a child, small and naïve compared to this younger man who had given up his entire life because of an order.

"But the Sandimane, he…"

"The third was against it from the beginning but the council over ruled him. In the end he came through enough for me. They wanted the entire clan dead but…I couldn't kill Sasuke. He was still so young and pure; he had no idea about the plot, an innocent academy student. So Sarutobi-sama promised me that he would keep my secret and protect my brother. I told Sasuke to get stronger. I wanted him to kill me for what I'd done. He would become the hero of the village and I would have absolution for the betrayal of my family."

"You could come back. It was an order; you shouldn't have to stay away. You could come back and…"

"No. I made my choice a long time ago. The village would never accept me and I still hope that Sasuke will return eventually. He deserves his revenge; it's all he knows now." Iruka's tears ran down Itachi's back and he took several shuddering breaths trying to put together everything he just heard. Itachi wasn't the monster everyone else thought he was. He was waiting for his little brother whom he loved to track him down and kill him.

"I…I don't want you to die." The pale shoulders shuddered and Iruka pulled the sheet of black hair away from the handsome face. His lips parted in shock as Itachi craned his neck and leaned back into him, two fat tears rolling down the perfect cheek bones.

"Then you've given me more than I ever expected to get out of life." They held each other in silence for hours, neither wanting to fall asleep for fear that the dream would shatter and they'd be left in the seeming cold by comparison lives they had before.

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It was almost dawn and Itachi knew he had to go but he just couldn't tear himself out of his chuunin's arms. He kissed Iruka again and again. Even as they moved out of the bedroom and he pulled on his cloak he couldn't seem to make himself leave the apartment. Iruka's smiling eyes kept pulling him back in deeper and deeper until he stopped trying to force himself to leave and pressed the naked, tan back against the wall, sucking on the lean neck.

Iruka frowned as suddenly the thin lips stopped moving and Itachi's entire body went tense. The brown eyes flew wide as long elegant fingers flew through hand signs and vines sprouted from the wall and twisted around his arms and legs.

"Itachi? What…" His words died in his chest as a kunai was pressed against his throat. Itachi leaned over his shoulder and whispered in his ear.

"I'm sorry, Chuunin. I should never have let you get so close." Iruka felt tears streaming down his face from his confusion. Why was this happening? How could Itachi do this after all that had happened, after everything he'd said? A hand cupped his face, pushing his cheek against his lover's, everything about the touch screaming regret.

"Goodbye, Iruka."

The doors and windows were all kicked in simultaneously and a dozen ANBU stormed the small apartment. Itachi jerked away from Iruka, kunai posed to strike. Iruka gasped as Itachi threw the ox masked ANBU across the room and raised the knife to cut down Rabbit who had moved in next.

"No!" Itachi froze at the cry from his lover and was tackled to the floor, chakra restraints attached to his hands. Ibiki strode into the room with Hound-san and wrenched Itachi's head up by his hair.

"Just couldn't stay away, could you, murderer? You and I are going to spend some quality time together. Teach you that we don't like traitors who rape our friends." Iruka gasped again and opened his mouth to tell them everything but a look from the cool, black eyes kept him quiet as they dragged Itachi to his feet and out the door.

Kakashi rushed to Iruka who looked so pale he thought the younger man was going to pass out.

"It's okay. We've got him. You're safe now. Ibiki will show him how stupid it was for him to come here." He dispelled the vine jutsu, catching Iruka and lowering him to the floor as he collapsed.

"This…you did this. You're the reason he was caught, aren't you?" Iruka sobbed, clutching his knees. Kakashi nodded and crouched down in front of Iruka.

"I saw him last night, henged as you. I…" He was cut off as a growl of rage echoed off the walls of the apartment and he found himself on his back, Iruka straddling his lap and slamming him into the floor again and again.

"I hate you! You son of a bitch! Why couldn't you just stay out of it?" Kakashi gripped Iruka's wrists and moved to push him off when the pendant hanging down over his masked face. Suddenly everything made sense. He read the initials on the on the pendant seeing clearly what was going on. Iruka's purple neck, his miraculous slaying of fifteen people, the possessive necklace, his mystery lover…Itachi Uchiha. He gazed up at the tan face, twisted in fury and utter sorrow, tears plinking off his white porcelain mask.

Iruka was shaking with emotion as he slammed the ANBU's back into the floor. Suddenly he had to know exactly who had ruined everything for him. Who's fault it was that Itachi was going to be tortured and killed unjustly. He wrenched his wrists from the pale grip and pulled down the hood revealing a mass of silver spikes. He gasped and pushed off Kakashi, sliding backwards until he bumped the wall.

"Noooo. Fuck, Kakashi, why? Why did it have to be you?" The hound mask was pulled off as Kakashi sat up.

"I didn't know…but…what the hell, 'Ruka? Itachi Uchiha? Are you out of your mind? Did you forget what he did?"

"He's not what you think. He never was. I…I love him…with every ounce of my being."

"I don't understand." Iruka dropped his forehead to his knees, curling into a tight ball.

"You're not supposed to. Go away. I need to be alone."

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The crowd in the monitor room was raucous as they watched Ibiki work on the village's most deadly enemy. They cheered as a spurt of blood shot out from their enemies mouth and hit the white wall.

"Freak isn't even flinching. The boss sure has his work cut out for him."

Ibiki teleported into the room, wiping his bloody hands on a towel.

"He needs a minute to think about his answers. Ah, Hound. Did you take Iruka-sensei to the hospital?" Kakashi, who had just entered the room, shook his head.

"He didn't need to go. He's requested some leave. I'll be taking him to the Hokage later, he needs some time…..He knows who I am." The admittance of breaking ANBU cover silenced the room.

"That is unfortunate but not a big deal Hound. You're just a part timer and I think he can keep a secret. Is he alright?" Kakashi kept his eyes on the monitor.

"Physically he's fine. Mentally…I just don't know what to think." Ibiki could tell that there was more to that statement than concern. "I want to talk to him." Kakashi gestured to the screen. "I think I can get some answers." The master interrogator would normally have scoffed at the idea that anyone was better at his job than he was…but this was hardly a normal situation or a normal prisoner and Kakashi was acting oddly. Well, more oddly than usual. So he nodded his consent and the jounin appeared on the monitor in the small windowless, doorless room, his mere appearance getting more of a reaction from Itachi than two hours of torture had.

Kakashi stared down at Itachi who looked up as he materialized in the room. The man was a mess. The whole room reeked of blood and the criminal's left arm and shoulder appeared to be broken. Pulling chakra into his hand he performed a mediocre healing jutsu to mend the bones.

"How long have you been seeing him?" The black eyes widened and turned to meet his one stormy grey eye.

"Did you see that?"

"Why is he healing him?"

"Does it matter? He got a reaction. What the hell is he saying?" The monitor room was a buzz of questions as they watched Kakashi and Itachi interact.

"Okay, everyone out!" Ibiki hissed and though there were protests and grunts of discontent, the room cleared.

"I need to know something and if that's the only question you answer, that's fine. Do you love him?" The black eyes revealed nothing and for several minutes they just sat in silence. Finally, Itachi dropped his eyes and Kakashi could see emotion peeking through the cuts and swelling in the face.

"You do, don't you. Fuck. What a disaster." Kakashi sighed, fingering the tube in his pocket. "I'll be back."

Ibiki turned as the hound masked nin appeared behind him.

"Are you going to explain to me exactly how you got him to talk? He didn't even make a sound when I broke his arm." Kakashi stepped closer and looked at the monitor.

"Yes." The scarred nin flinched and looked at his arm as he felt a small prick, watching in shock as the green sedative was injected into his body. He fumbled for the alarm switch but was pulled into the center of the room.

"I will tell you everything I know eventually. Trust me that this is right."

Itachi watched in shock as the ANBU removed his bonds and helped him to his feet.

"Why are you helping me?"

"It doesn't seem in your nature to ask questions to which you already know the answer, Uchiha."

They teleported out of the room to just outside Iruka's door. Itachi moved to enter but Kakashi caught his arm.

"Say goodbye then get the hell out of here and never come back." The black eyes narrowed fiercely but the raven head gave a curt nod before the jounin disappeared.

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Iruka rested his head against the wall, his body curled up on the floor in the corner of the room, Itachi's cloak around his still naked shoulders. His face was gaunt and drawn but he couldn't cry. Shock and despair pulsed through him and all he could do was stare blankly ahead, not really seeing anything. His lover was gone, sent to be tortured and killed by his best friend. He shifted as the familiar feeling of being watched settled on him but he didn't look around. Anyone who came in now would see him huddled in the corner like a child, wrapped up in an Akatsuki cloak, but he couldn't bring himself to care. As melodramatic as it seemed, he felt like his whole world had just been crushed. The village he'd dedicated his life to wasn't the perfect example of justice and truth that he believed. Itachi was in Ibiki's hands. The thought made his stomach churn and his muscles tighten painfully.

A throat cleared on his left and he sluggishly raised his head to see who had found him looking so pathetic.

Itachi held his shoulder and leaned against the wall of Iruka's apartment. He looked down at his lover and regret gripped him. Iruka looked almost as horrible as he did, the usually expressive brown eyes deadened and hollow. He'd done this. The first night in the forest he'd told Iruka that he wanted to ruin him and he'd succeeded. Succeeded in completely destroying both of them. But the memories were too good to say that he wished it had never happened. He'd fallen in love with the most unlikely of people and he'd never want to take back a single second that they'd spent together. He cleared his throat and watched life spark in the blank face as the brown eye fell on him.

"I-Itachi?" He let a small smile form on his thin lips as the tan body leapt from the floor and dashed towards him. He groaned in pain as the eager arms squeezed him.

"Uugh. Easy, Chuunin." Iruka's face paled as he took in the horrible damage that had been inflicted. Itachi's face was purple and swollen from a merciless beating and he appeared to be clutching his shoulder in pain.

"Oh baby. Oh, what did they do to you? Here, sit." Iruka pulled Itachi to one of the kitchen chairs, kneeling before him, reaching up to stroke the wounded face.

"Are you alright?" Itachi nodded but winced as Iruka's fingers slid over his bruised cheek bone. Iruka clasped both of his lover's hands, bringing one to his face.

"I thought I'd never see you again. How did you…"

"Your jounin friend helped me out." The tan jaw dropped and he gaped at Itachi.

"Kakashi? But…why?" Itachi didn't respond because he was pretty sure Iruka knew the answer.

"I have to go, Chuunin. I just wanted to say goodbye." Iruka kissed the pale hand on his face; tears slipping from his closed eyes. "Chuunin…" But his lover didn't respond, just kissed his way up Itachi's arm and laid his head on the long lap, his fingers gripping the fugitives dark pants securely. Itachi sighed and gently stroked Iruka's hair. He never thought that this moment would be this hard.

"Iruka…" The head lifted from his legs and the watery brown eyes rose to his as he said his lover's name for the first time. Leaning down he pressed their lips together, ignoring the searing pain in his jaw. "I have to go." He stood up but Iruka was on his feet, desperation pouring from his eyes with the tears as he clutched at Itachi's shirt.

"NO! No, I won't let you. Don't go. Don't leave me. Itachi, I love…" A pale hand clapped over his mouth and Iruka wrapped his arms around Itachi's hips as the hand was released and his head was pulled to the crook of the pale neck.

"I'm sorry, Iruka. I'm sorry that I was so selfish but I couldn't stay away. I'm sorry that everything turned out this way. I'm…I'm sorry that you can't say those words, but if you do I'll stay. I'll stay here until they kick down your door again and kill me on the spot…and I don't want you to see that." Iruka let out an undignified wail and thrust his tongue into Itachi's mouth, drinking in his killer one last time. His knees gave out and they both sank to the floor, their tongues tasting each other desperately. Breaking the kiss, Itachi cupped the tan jaw and looked deep into to those heartbreaking, brown eyes.

"Thank you for everything. You made me feel alive, human for the first time in as long as I care to remember." Iruka twisted his hands in the black hair, trying to keep Itachi on the floor with him, but his lover tightened his useable arm hauling them both to their feet.

"I…I could go with you." The tall, pale body went rigid and Itachi pushed Iruka up against the wall.

"No, you can't. You have people here who love you. People who will look after you…and being a missing nin is a hard life, one that I wouldn't wish on an enemy never mind a lover. You'll get over this. In time you'll forget about me and fall in love with someone else." Iruka tried to tell him that he would never forget what they had, but Itachi kissed him gently and the words died in his throat.

"Goodbye, Iruka. My sweet Chuunin." Iruka tried to hold on but Itachi pulled away. He collapsed to the floor sobbing as he watched his lover walk away. Clenching his fists he kept himself from leaping up and holding on to Itachi. He had to let him go. To keep him here would mean the younger man's death and he didn't want that on his hands, no matter how desperately he wanted to keep him in his life. Swallowing thickly, he met his lover's eyes as the elder Uchiha turned to take one last look, both their hearts breaking because they knew that this really would be the last look…ever. Itachi flashed Iruka a weak smile and whisper 'I love you' before disappearing into thin air. The chuunin sat in silence for a moment, the emptiness of the apartment sinking in around him. Then he released a tortured wail and collapsed on his stomach, his fingernails clawing at the linoleum floor as he sobbed uninhibitedly in loss.

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A/N: Okay, my eyes and brain hurt. There is still an epilogue coming so keep reading. I know, I'm such a liar. I just can't cut things down.

Cheers


	3. epilogue

Drawn to your darkness 3

Drawn to Your Darkness, Addicted to Your Light

Warning: Sex, a little disturbing I'm told. Other than that, I think it's pretty clean.

Disclaimer: Don't own. It's a good thing too cuz I would never get enough done to create both a manga and an anime.

A/N: Sorry for the delay. I was out of town for five days. Apparently writing on a laptop when you have company is rude but secluding yourself and drawing isn't so I drew a little pic to go with chapter one. I tried a few others but this was the only one decent enough to make the cut. It's not good cuz the houseboat was rocking and I don't really want to fix it. Link at the bottom of the story. I also have been working a lot lately and haven't had the time I usually do to write. Again, I'm sorry.

Okay, here are those shout outs that have been well earned. If you didn't review last chapter, you may not be here. Sorry. Please everyone give these a read. These people keep me writing!

Dark Auroran: I'm so delighted that you gave this a shot. I've been enjoying your story and so appreciate your dedication to my work. Don't worry, I miss writing societal gap. I need the comic relief now too. I've been too caught up in this angsty mess for WAY too long!

My dear Randomly: Thanks so much for reading. I'm glad you liked it and I'm glad you didn't go crazy!

SlockS, Reeby10, Faramirlover: I'm sorry I made you cry. I cried when I was writing it, how sad is that? Your reviews seriously brightened my week. I didn't get many reviews for the last chapter and yours were both substantial and uplifting. Everyone give these three thanks as they helped me get this up quicker.

Ryu earth and Filmfreaksje: Glad you liked it. Thanks for reading. Hope you like this chapter too!

Jazzy2may: Such a loyal reviewer. I really do appreciate that you take the time.

Dani, Milly and Ivy: I'm delighted you reviewed. I've been told not to expect it on AFF so it's always a delightful surprise to receive warm receptions like that. Cheers!

Akuma Memento Mori: Thanks so much for reading. **EVERYONE, IF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR MORE ITAIRU STORIES, THERE IS A THREE PART STORY ON HER PAGE. THE FIST PART IS CALLED SORROWFUL GOODBYE. GIVE IT A READ!!**

Tai-sensei: You rock! Your review totally reenergized me. I love getting your sizeable reviews. Those good waves you keep sending me are truly a gift and I'll always send you my cheers as a response. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Michelerene and Phantomsnow: You two are my sounding board, my confidence boosters and pretty much the sole reason I continue to write. I love you both, is there more I can say?

Okay, there will be another A/N at the end of the chapter but that's enough for now. Enjoy!

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Two years. Two years since that hellish day when Itachi had been captured and then left him forever. It was hard to believe that it was that long. Time had been moving so quickly, especially since Naruto got back from training with Jariya about nine months ago. Iruka'd been both crushed and thrilled to hear news of Itachi when Gaara was kidnapped. Would Itachi do the same thing to Naruto? The news of Itachi himself hadn't made him feel much better. He'd sat in Kakashi's hospital room trying not to look sick as his friend told him about Itachi's worsening eyes in hushed whispers so that they wouldn't be overheard.

The whole experience would have been hell without the support of his best friend. Kakashi had been compassionate and sheltering after Itachi's departure. He'd taken quite the lashing from both Tsunade and Ibiki for his role in helping Itachi escape. Iruka had explained everything to the pair, Ibiki had diagnosed it as a case of extreme Stockholm syndrome and the Hokage had proclaimed that no one other than them ever know the details. He'd kept his word to the raven though and not said a word about the slaying of the Uchiha clan. He had however made quite a scene one day in the market when he spotted the female council member.

_Iruka was striding down the street with Kakashi, as usual, at his side when he saw the old woman. Something inside him snapped and he walked away from Kakashi in the middle of a conversation._

_The old woman looked up to see the missions' office clerk glaring down at her with cold hate that made her shiver. Iruka leaned down and whispered icily to her, her eyes flying wide as she looked up at him. Kakashi approached his friend and the council member, who looked closer to death than usual. He grasped Iruka's arm in question when he saw the frightening expression on his friend's face. The chuunin shook him off and spoke again, not bothering to keep his voice down._

"_I can't believe those are the kind of decisions you make. You're monsters! All of you!" Kakashi immediately began dragging Iruka from the tea house, the brunette thrashing in his arms while screaming at the old woman._

"_It's not right! You ruined him. He was the best in the village and you tossed him aside like trash!" Kakashi shot an apologetic glance at the old woman as he pulled Iruka away._

It had been around the time that Kakashi was in the hospital that Iruka had decided to give the man a shot. He'd know for a long time that Kakashi loved him but the thought of admitting that he had romantic feelings for his friend had always seemed like he was betraying Itachi. Even a year after the incident Iruka had pulled away when the jounin had leaned in to kiss him. Kakashi had been hurt but he never said a thing. It was only when he'd heard that his best friend was in the hospital that he realized how afraid he was to loose Kakashi. It was on the ninth day of his hospital stay that Iruka finally worked up the courage to show the silver haired nin how he felt.

_Iruka sat on the side of his friend's bed and they laughed about Naruto and Sakura's new, emotionally retarded teammate. Iruka took a deep breath, his chest feeling tight in anxiety. He knew he liked Kakashi, he knew he was tired of being alone and depressed but he still wasn't sure if he was ready for this. Every time he thought about moving on the hurts somehow all seemed fresh again._

"_Are you okay?" Kakashi's voice shook him out of his thoughts and he looked at his friend and smiled._

"_I'm fine."_

"_Really? 'Cause you had a look like you might be sick. Are you sure you're alright?"_

"_Yeah…I think I am." He slipped his hand into the pale one before him, stroking the callused skin with his thumb. Kakashi furrowed his brows in confusion. He'd gotten so used to not throwing himself at Iruka that this moment seemed alien to him. The movements so deliberate they were almost in slow motion, Iruka leaned forward and tucked the fingers of each hand under the hem of Kakashi's mask. He hesitated, waiting for Kakashi to stop him but when the jounin didn't move, just stared at him in awed bewilderment, he slowly slid the fabric down the pale cheeks._

_Iruka's chest tightened when the handsome face was revealed. Kakashi looked similar in so many ways to his lost love. The strong, pointed jaw was elegant and the pale, thin lips were almost mirror images of Itachi's. Tan thumbs caressed the defined cheek bones and the visible eye closed, the perfect lips parting in longing._

_Kakashi opened his eye and lifted himself off the pillows, leaning forward until their faces were half a foot apart, leaving enough room for Iruka to pull away. But the chuunin didn't pull away, instead leaning forward closing the space between them to a singular inch._

"'_Ruka…" Kakashi wanted so badly to lean forward but he restrained himself. He just couldn't make the first move and be shot down again. He needed to know if Iruka was really ready for this, if he truly wanted him. He held his breath as the soft skin of the tan nose slid along his cheek, hot breath caressing the corner of his mouth. Unable to just enjoy the intimate moment, Kakashi broke the silence._

"'_Ruka…are you sure you…"_

"_Yes." The breathy whisper was followed immediately by soft lips pressing against his and the jounin lifted his shaky fingers to Iruka's jaw, delicately deepening the kiss._

_Iruka's mind raced as their lips moved slowly together. It was so different from the feverish kisses he'd shared with Itachi, softer, and not as heated. Kissing Kakashi didn't have the intense undercurrents that Itachi seemed to send into every moment. However…his heart raced as Kakashi's hand slid along his face, the movements so light that they almost seemed tentative. The moment was like slipping into a steamy bath with a cup of your favorite tea, warm and comforting in every possible way. Suddenly his mental image changed and he was leaning against his best friend's chest in the warm water, the jounin stroking his hair tenderly. It wasn't so much sexual as incredibly romantic. Yes, it was true what they say; it was never the same as the first time but it didn't mean that it couldn't be wonderful._

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Iruka smiled as Kakashi nuzzled his back and climbed out of the bed. He and the jounin had been dating for three and a half months and he had to admit that he loved it when Kakashi would stay over. He would hold Iruka all night and get up and make him breakfast in the morning. Even though they'd been seeing each other for a while they still hadn't had sex. Poor Kakashi had been beyond patient. He never even brought up his insatiable needs with his boyfriend, opting instead to look after himself when he got an opportunity.

Iruka had, about a month ago, walked into the washroom in the middle of the night after noticing his boyfriend's absence and found Kakashi in the shower masturbating furiously. He'd slid in silently behind him and wrapped his hands around his partner's aching member. Kakashi had tried to push him away, to tell him that it was alright and he didn't have to but Iruka hadn't relented and brought the jounin to a quick completion. He laid his cheek on the lean, pale back, his fingers tracing Kakashi's heaving abs. The jounin reached back and rested his hand on the small of Iruka's back. The moment shouldn't have been as uncomfortable as it was…but their relationship was uncomfortable in a lot of ways. Kakashi knew that even though Iruka cared for him, the chuunin was still in love with someone else, someone who, if the young man was given the chance, he would go back to in an instant.

Iruka wasn't opposed to looking after Kakashi. It actually made him feel needed. But for all that he was willing to do for Kakashi, he never let the jounin help him, he just wasn't ready for that. A couple of weeks ago he'd pushed away Kakashi's hands from his hardness after giving him a hand job and the hurt was evident in every part of the pale face. Iruka had kissed him and whispered his apologies but Kakashi had just pulled the tan body into him and muttered that he would wait forever if he had to for Iruka to be ready and they'd laid together in silence until the alarm clock buzzed half an hour later. It seemed that time was both their enemy and their ally.

/Flash back/

_Iruka lifted his head off of Kakashi's chest. They'd both fallen asleep during the movie and he couldn't put his finger on what had pulled him out of the dream he'd been having. He stood up and walked absentmindedly from room to room trying to shake off his unease. Iruka paused by his dresser and tugged open his bottom drawer and sat cross legged in front of it. _

_His fingers trailed over the precious mementos from people he'd let go. The katana that belonged to his father and used to sit on the back wall of his living room lay on the right side of the drawer, still in two pieces. He'd get it fixed eventually and put it back up but for right now it still reminded him too much of the person who'd broken it. His mother's eye glasses and the book she used to read him almost every night when he was a child was were nestled on top of his favorite plush toy. He let his hands pass by a picture of himself and Mizuki when they were ten and had gone swimming in the river in the woods. He let the moving appendages rest on a rough, crayon drawing of him and a blue eyed blonde, smiling at the inscription. 'Happy birthday Iruka-sensei even if it does mean you're a year older.' He hadn't really let Naruto go of course but the teen was so much stronger than him now. Naruto didn't really need him anymore. _

_His hands moved to the bundles of fabric along the left sides, digging into them and wrapping his fingers along the cool, pliable metal nestled safely with in the folds. He snaked the chain around his fingers and pressed the pendant to his cheek. He slid the drawer closed and tucked his knees up to his chin, holding the chain out in front of him._

_Iruka had stopped wearing the chain six months ago as his friends kept getting small burns as they hugged him or threw and arm out to comfort him. The straw that broke the camel's back happened one night when he was out at the bar and a very very drunk Izumo had pushed him into Kakashi and they'd tumbled to the floor together. As Iruka tried to sit up off the jounin someone tripped over them and the pendants swung forward and hit Kakashi square in his normal eye. Kakashi hissed in agony and shoved Iruka off his chest. The younger man watched in horror as his friend gripped his face and pushed blindly at the legs around him. Tugging off the necklace and stuffing it in his pocket Iruka rushed to the silver haired man's side._

"'_Kashi! Oh gods, I'm so sorry! Are you alright?" Kakashi pushed Iruka's hands away and lifted his hiatai to reveal his sharingan eye making Iruka gasp at the familiarity of the icy glare in the crimson orb. "Kakashi…I'm sor-." Kakashi stood up abruptly and gazed down at his friend for a moment before mumbling coolly that he should get his eye looked at before stalking away._

_The guilt that wracked Iruka was indomitable and unrelenting. He'd gotten up the nerve to visit Kakashi at home the next day and broken down sobbing when the door had opened to reveal Kakashi with both eyes covered, one by bandages and the other by a scarf. The jounin had just sighed and pulled Iruka into a tight hug, telling him that he was fine and that his eye would be better in a few days and that he was sorry for reacting the way he had in the bar._

_Iruka had spent the next few days helping Kakashi around the house until the jounin's bandages were ready to come off. It was on that night that Iruka had placed the pendant in the drawer with the cloak and shirt Itachi had given him. Holding on was hurting more than just him now._

_Iruka looked up from his knees and gasped as the all too recognizable feeling of an intense gaze on him settled into his bones. He looked around the room, adrenaline pulsing through his veins as he searched out his lost love. He began tossing the apartment recklessly, not even caring that the racket he was making had surely woken Kakashi. After searching the closet and under the bed he dashed into the bathroom, tearing down the shower curtain in his haste. As he skidded around the living room, he slammed into a body._

_Kakashi had woken as the warmth of his boyfriend's body had left him but remained silent as Iruka wandered aimlessly around the small flat. He watched the tan body disappear into the bedroom and could feel strong emotions in the air a few minutes later. He sighed and rolled onto his back, stretching out on the couch. Even though they were dating now sometimes the distance between them seemed even wider. Maybe he should have made Iruka wait. Maybe it had been to soon…but when he held Iruka or the younger man would smile at him, his heart would soar and noting else in the world seemed to matter. His body tensed as he felt another presence in small apartment. He was about to get up to look for it but sounds of Iruka thrashing around in the bedroom stilled him. Seconds later a tan frame flew from the bedroom and into the bathroom. It was the look on Iruka's face, a look of pure hope, that sunk Kakashi into the realization that his boyfriend would never love him the way he loved Konaha's most wanted criminal as the tan body rushed from room to room, searching for the intruder. He felt the presence disappear from the room and he almost cried out for Itachi to stay, remembering the look of fierce determination and faint hope as Iruka had rushed past him. But the words wouldn't form and he stood up off the couch, walking slowly into the center of the room. It was then that Iruka flew from the bathroom and collided with him._

"_He's gone. I'm sorry…if I hadn't been here…" Iruka's wail of despair caught in his throat as he looked at his boyfriend who looked guilty and dejected._

"_But you are here. You're always here. Always here for me when I need you, even when I think I need to be alone." The tan arms slid around the lean neck and they embraced tightly._

"_I need you Kakashi. You're so strong…a constant in my life ever since Naruto left with Jiraiya. Not fleeting or undependable. I'm…I'm sorry." Kakashi just tightened his grip and nuzzled Iruka's head._

"_I'm no different Iruka. If Minato hadn't been there for me when Obito died I would have faded away. At least my wounds have healed," he gestured to his covered eye, "and my ghosts aren't literally haunting me." Iruka just tightened his arms again and buried his face in the pale neck._

"_I…I don't want to feel this anymore!" Kakashi was startled as Iruka fisted his hair. "I don't want this emptiness, this sorrow. I…I just want to be grateful for what I have…but I can't! Why? Why can't I let go?" Kakashi sighed and pulled Iruka down to the floor with him._

"_Only you will know the answer, and you'll only know the answer when it's thrust upon you. In time 'Ruka…in time you'll know." The chuunin sobbed against his shoulder, clutching onto him like a life line and he could feel some of the pain that Iruka had held so long, pain from losing his parents, pain from the betrayal of his childhood friend, pain and loneliness that had encompassed him for over a year and a half since Itachi's departure released in this moment that they shared._

Iruka stretched and grinned when the smell of food reached his nostrils. He could hear Kakashi humming and the sizzling of bacon and he pictured the silver haired man in his usual morning garb of boxers and a kiss the cook apron. Giggling he tucked his hands behind his head and closed his eyes.

"What's so funny?" Iruka cracked open one eye and laughed out loud when he saw that Kakashi wasn't wearing the white apron with the red lettering but the frilly pink one that had been Iruka's mothers'.

"Awww, 'Kashi, you look so cute!" The jounin lifted the edge of the apron and curtsied making the younger man hold his sides as he giggled. Kakashi grinned back at him.

"It's almost done. Are you getting up or should I serve you in bed?"

"Aha ha ha…no…I'll, whew…I'll get up." He extended his hands for Kakashi to help him up but instead of rising he pulled his boyfriend to the mattress. The pair tumbled around like children trading kisses and tickling until they were both completely tangled up in the sheets.

"Is something burning?"

The single storm grey eye widened.

"Breakfast!" Kakashi jerked himself upward and tripped as he tried to untie the sheets from his legs, sprawling out on the floor.

Two minutes later Kakashi was looking forlornly at the charred eggs in the frying pan which smelt…really bad. Iruka wrapped his arms up around the jounin's waist.

"Why don't I take you out for breakfast?" Kakashi hung his head as if the eggs had bested him in battle.

"I should buy, I'm the one who ruined the food." Iruka smiled and turned his sulking boyfriend around, pecking the thin lips.

"And if I hadn't distracted you then we'd be eating already. Now go get dressed." The pair quickly pulled on clothes and took the crispy remains of the eggs and bacon out with the trash. Smiling widely, Iruka slipped his hand into Kakashi back pocket and gave a playful squeeze of the taught musculature beneath his fingers. Kakashi groaned and rolled his eye.

"You know teasing is a form or torture, right?" Iruka grinned a little wider and squeezed a little harder at the comment. They settled into a table at a small outdoor café and looked over the menu while playing footsy under the table and avoiding listening to the gossip mongers who were in a group just down the street. As their food arrived one of the group broke off and caught a young chuunin just in front of the patio they were eating on.

"Did you hear? Sasuke Uchiha is coming back to the village!" The fair haired chuunin gasped and gripped his friend's shoulders.

"Get out! He's just…coming back?" Kakashi and Iruka's attention was now solely on the pair, their cooling food forgotten.

"Yeah! The little, blonde spitfire is bringing him back!"

"I don't believe it!" Kakashi and Iruka's fingers met on the table and neither of them breathed for fear that the moment would be lost.

"I know. Apparently after Sasuke killed his brother there was some big secret that came out and the little Uchiha is coming to speak with the council." Kakashi stared at Iruka whose lips were moving but no sound was coming out, neither was any air if the funny colours his face were turning were any indication.

"He killed Itachi? Itachi Uchiha is dead? That's the best news I've heard in ages! Do you remember a couple of years ago when he was caught assaulting a chuunin?"

"I heard he was raping him! What a sick fuck, ne?" The conversation moved back to Naruto and Sasuke and their soon return to the village, forcing Kakashi's eyes back to the pair of gossipers as he listened in shock. He squeezed Iruka's fingers to make sure the younger man was alright but was surprised to find that the fingers had been removed and he was gripping the rough weave of a napkin and the money for the breakfast. Sighing Kakashi hauled himself to his feet and transported himself to Iruka's bedroom. He'd been expecting to find Iruka either on the floor in front of his drawer of memorabilia or curled up on his bed like a child but after a quick search it was clear Iruka wasn't in the apartment. He decided to go to the Hokage to find out if the rumor was true before taking up the search again.

Iruka wasn't sure how he ended up in the woods at the top of the hokage monument but here he was, shaking and nauseous, his body wracked with emotion. He's dead. Iruka felt his stomach lurch and he fell to his knees, the world spinning violently. He's dead. He gripped at the grass under his hands, his body trembling. A scream of mourning shattered the silent air but Iruka barely even heard it even as it tore from his throat. He's dead. The chuunin's world collapsed around him as the reality of the situation slowly set in to his stubborn brain.

Itachi was dead. Sasuke had killed him. He alone knew the truth about who one of the village's greatest hero was, really was. Spilling the contents of his stomach, the lovely breakfast he'd shared with Kakashi, he flopped on his back and unabashedly let his grief overwhelm him. He lay in the tranquility of the early morning sun, tears streaming down his face as he remembered the gentle, pale, possessive hands roaming his face and body, the intense heat that radiated from their forms as they moved together in hungry synchronization, the look of sorrow and love in the obsidian pools as Itachi disappeared from his apartment. His first and only romantic love was gone, never to return to him again, his musky smells and muscular body already fading into a distant memory. Iruka clutched his chest as a pang of loss deeper and more powerful than he'd ever felt before gripped him completely. So cold, so lost…so alone.

'How could you do this to me, Itachi? How could you leave me when you knew you were going to die? How could you just let Sasuke kill you when you knew how much I loved you, how much I needed you?' He sobbed silently for hours, immersing himself in the blackness of the sunny day.

Kakashi gazed at the hokage, his expression bored but his mind a buzz with everything that Tsunade had just told him. Itachi was indeed dead but Sasuke wasn't coming back to the village the joyous hero that everyone had expected. He was with Akatsuki now and was coming back to negotiate his terms with the council for reparations for their destruction of his clan. The knowing destruction of his clan. The council had ordered the young Itachi Uchiha to kill his entire clan before banishing him from the village. The things Iruka had said about Itachi were starting to line up.

Iruka. He must be so upset. Itachi must have told him the truth, Kakashi surmised. Tsunade looked distraught. He could see her turmoil over her harsh misjudgment of Itachi and her grief at not paying closer attention to what Iruka had been trying covertly to tell them.

"I need to know what I'm dealing with here, Hatake." She sighed deeply and he could see that she didn't want to ask what she was about to. "The council is giving me nothing and Danzou is just as tight lipped. I…I need you to bring Iruka to me as soon as possible." Kakashi sighed and shook his head.

"He's not going to want to talk about it. In fact I don't think he'll give even you the time of day. He's…he's so angry. I swear he almost killed Koharu-san one day in the market. Iruka…he maybe moving past this but he's not forgotten the village's betrayal of Itachi…or of himself." Tsunade nodded.

"I understand he must be disillusioned with everything right now but I need you to get through to him. If he still gives a damn about the village or any of its inhabitants he needs to tell me whatever it is that he knows. You must make him see reason. Do whatever it takes Kakashi but get it done. Do you understand?" Kakashi nodded and disappeared from the room with a pop.

It seemed like he'd looked everywhere but no one had seen any sign of Iruka. He'd been searching for twelve hours straight but every time he thought he was getting closer the trail went ice cold.

"Iruka…please tell me where you are…please tell me you haven't done something foolish." The chances that Iruka had been stupid enough to leave the village were small. He'd be considered a missing nin and the hunters would be after him by midnight leaving Kakashi only four hours to find him. His heart ached at the thought of Iruka hunted down like an animal. Deciding he'd check home once more before recruiting help, he teleported into Iruka's apartment and collapsed at the table. Everything was just as he'd left it the last time he'd been back to check if Iruka had returned. Everything except…

Kakashi lifted the hastily scribbled note from the table. The writing hadn't changed; still an urgent plea for his boyfriend to let him know where he was, but the note wasn't tucked under the pen as it had been the last time he was here. Standing slowly Kakashi poked his head into their bedroom. The bottom drawer of Iruka's dresser was open and the jounin couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief. A shifting on the bed drew his attention. As he looked up Iruka drew the blankets over his head.

"Please go away 'Kashi." The jounin almost complied when the chuunin's words from months ago crossed his mind.

'You're always there for me, even when I think I need to be alone.' He tried to ignore how the covered body tensed as he climbed onto the bed.

"Please…just go. I don't want you to…" Iruka's words trailed off as the blankets were tugged off his head to reveal his tear stained face and his Akatsuki cloak covered neck. Kakashi stared for a minute before pulling his boyfriend tight to his body.

"I'm so sorry, Iruka. Sorry for your loss." The chuunin wanted to shake off the jounin's strong grip but as soon as the long, thin arms slid around him the fear and loneliness that had permeated his very soul all day seemed to melt away. He fisted the front of Kakashi's uniform and buried his face in the warmth of the lean neck. He suddenly felt odd crying over his dead love while his boyfriend gently stroked his hair.

"It's okay, 'Ruka, let it out." The gentle command broke his resistance and he sobbed into Kakashi's chest. For god knows how long, Iruka cried while his boyfriend murmured softly in his ear everything that he needed to be told, that Itachi was a hero, that the Uchiha hadn't deserved the horrible life that had been forced upon him and that no matter what happened or what the chuunin decided, Kakashi would always love him.

Suddenly a fierce heat rolled through the tan body and the dark mask was yanked, the full lips sucking and nipping urgently at the thin, pale pair. The jounin grunted and pulled back as the wide, pink tongue began sliding along his jaw.

"'Ruka…"

"Please help me feel. I just want to forget, just for a while. Please…I need this. I need you." All Kakashi could do was nod at those words and try to slow down their frantic grappling. Kakashi slid the red and black coat the floor, disregarding what it meant that Iruka still had it. Soon they were both naked, their searing skin sliding together. Kakashi tried desperately to ignore the choked sobs from his lover but this was not how he wanted their first time to be. It didn't matter though. He'd do anything to show Iruka how much he loved him, even if it meant that the first time he'd taken this act with any sincerity he'd only be easing the hurt Iruka was feeling over the loss of someone that he did love. Swallowing his sigh, Kakashi moved to press a finger into Iruka's body but the chuunin knocked his hand away and slathered a handful of lube on Kakashi's cock and guided it to his entrance.

"Iruka, stop. I don't want to hurt…"

"Please. I need it. I need it to hurt. Please 'Kashi." The tan hands clawed frantically at the pale back and hips as the jounin pulled away. Iruka saw that what he was asking hurt his boyfriend but he felt like he would shatter into a million pieces if he didn't have something physical to distract him from his emotional torment. He watched the conflict bubbling in his boyfriend as they sat in the most uncomfortable silence imaginable.

"Kakashi…please…" His desperate plea was cut off as the pale lips captured his in a bruising kiss and strong hands wound into his hair tightly. He threw his head back and wailed in pain as his kind and considerate boyfriend hilted himself in a single thrust. Tears rolled down the sides of his face but the release the hurt offered as it raced up his spine took his mind completely off his aching heart. Kakashi didn't move for several minutes, his breath ragged as he waited for Iruka to adjust. When the tan hands ran up his back he tilted the dark head back and buried his face in the long column of Iruka's neck as he moved in and out of the abused passage.

Iruka choked and sobbed as Kakashi thrust into him again and again, the stabbing pain beginning to mix with pleasure as his prostate was struck repeatedly. His breathing evened out and he carded one set of fingers into the soft, silver hair. He released a throaty moan, as Kakashi kissed his neck.

"Harder." The force and speeds of the assaults on his body increased immediately as the firm grip in his hair tightened, sending adrenaline coursing through is veins. The dark lips parted at the delicious numbness that seeped into his bones. Noticing his neck and chin were damp, too damp to be from sweat or saliva, he shifted his other hand to Kakashi's face, lifting his chin. The sight was enough to break his heart all over again. The usually bored, mismatched eyes were brimming with tears, the pale cheeks red and raw.

Iruka felt like he'd been kicked in the stomach. He'd been so wrapped up in his own misery that he hadn't even given much thought to what this was doing to Kakashi. But now, seeing his pillar of strength folding like a cheap shirt because he'd demanded, begged, this man, who loved him, to fuck him so hard that it was all but rape was as devastating as losing Itachi in the first place.

"Oh 'Kashi." He pulled the pale face towards him, kissing the thin lips gently. "I'm so sorry 'Kashi." The silver spikes wobbled as Kakashi shook his head and tried to hide his face, still moving in and out of the taught body.

"Stop." The lean, body halted instantaneously and the jounin turned to face his boyfriend. Iruka rolled them over, not letting the softening member out of his body. Cupping the raw cheeks he gently kissed his lover, his thumbs stroking the soft skin of Kakashi's temples. "I'm sorry, Koi." He forced a watery smile onto his lips as a shaky breath tore from the body beneath him. "Please make love to me, 'Kashi. Show me I haven't ruined the only thing that makes my life worth living." Long, pale arms encircled him and their mouths met in the slowest, deepest kiss they'd ever shared. Iruka felt strong legs hook over the back of his knees and not breaking the tender lip lock he began to slowly rock backwards. It took several minutes of gentle, tentative movements before the jounin was responding, lifting his hips to meet Iruka's downward strokes but kept avoiding Iruka's eyes. The brunette nuzzled the pale jaw, whispering in the older man's ear.

"Kakashi…oh, Koi. I'm so sorry. I love you. I love you so much. I'm sorry. That was so selfish and stupid of me. I needed this, your tenderness, your love. I love you, Kakashi." Strong, lithe arms tightened around him.

"I love you too." Kakashi's response was a hoarse whisper, one that sounded uncertain and maybe even disheartened, making tears spring anew to the chocolate eyes.

By the time they had finished both of them were crying again, whispering 'I love yous' to one another. Afterward they lay in silence for almost an hour, neither wanting to leave the sanctuary of each other's arms, neither wanting to talk or even think about what had just happened. Finally Kakashi shifted, stroking his lover's hair.

"The hokage wants to see you. She needs to ask about Itachi. It's…important." Iruka winced and buried his face in the jounin's shoulder, not sure if he was ready to talk about it.

"I know it will be hard but it could mean a lot for the village. Lady Tsunade…" Tan fingers pressed to his lips, the brown eyes firmly glued to the ceiling.

"It's okay. I'll go talk to her." Kakashi eyes fixed on the distant look on the handsome, tanned face before nodding slowly and pulling on his clothes. Iruka sat immobilized as Kakashi got dressed. It was only when the jounin was completely clothed and shifting uncomfortably that Iruka snapped out of his daze and lifted his eyes to meet the single stormy grey orb.

"I meant it you know." Kakashi pretended not to know what Iruka was talking about and shrugged, turning away. Iruka caught his hand and pulled him down to sit on the edge of the bed with him. "I know this probably wasn't the best time to say it but…but I do love you, Hatake Kakashi." Iruka held the singled eyed gaze and slipped their hands together. The mask covering the handsome face shifted and Iruka was pretty sure Kakashi was smiling, either weakly or softly.

"I love you too. I've loved you for a long time now." Iruka smiled and drew their heads together until their foreheads touched.

"I know. You're the only thing that's made the past two years bearable and…and I would never be able to forgive myself if I lost another chance to tell someone that I love them."

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The meeting with the Tsunade had been terrible but somehow freeing. The couple had entered the office to find it occupied by only a very miserable Godaime and a hunter nin. Tsunade had surprised everyone by letting fat tears of relief roll down her face as she leapt up and pulled Iruka into her arms. She had gritted her teeth but remained mercifully silent as Iruka had recounted every word about his time with Itachi and what the Uchiha had told him. Guilt welled up in his chest knowing that he had broken his promise to his lover but somehow he thought that Itachi would have wanted it this way, this was for Sasuke and the village after all. By the end of his tale Iruka was in tears, Kakashi had turned his back and seemed very interested in a spot on the wall, though the slight trembling in his shoulders told Iruka that he'd been listening and was feeling extremely guilty about his part in their separation, and Tsunade…Tsunade was muttering to herself about choosing a new council.

"Thank you Iruka. I have one more thing to ask of you." Iruka nodded, wiping his raw cheeks. "I'd like for you to be a part of meeting with Sasuke. It would be a show of good faith to have someone there who cared about his brother and…could speak for him." The tan face looked gaunt and ashen at her request.

"I…I…don't think…I can do that." Tsunade nodded and turned her chair to face the window.

"I know it's asking a lot but if you would at least think about it…The meeting will be in three days. You have until then to decide." Iruka nodded even though the blonde couldn't see him he knew she had understood the silence. She turned her head to the side, giving the chuunin a view of a sliver of her face. "I'm sorry for your loss, Iruka." The brunette swallowed thickly and nodded again, unable to get his throat to form words.

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Kakashi squeezed Iruka hand in reassurance. The chuunin looked like a soft breeze would knock him over as he gazed down the street. How could Tsunade have possibly thought this was a good idea? Sasuke would be arriving any minute in the company of Naruto, Sakura and two members of the reformed Akatsuki and Iruka looked like he'd rather be walking on hot coal than here at this moment. Iruka's grip tightened as a murmur spread through the crowd. They were coming.

Iruka began to panic the instant the shapes of the figures could be seen down the road. He was lined up in front of the Hokage tower with Tsunade, the council members two ANBU and Kakashi, who was now wincing from his crushing grip. At the head of the approaching pack was the spiky haired raven he'd been so dreading seeing again, flanked on each side by his old teammates, a platinum blonde he didn't know and…his stomach tightened as he saw Kisame on the far right flank. The chocolate gaze shifted back to the head of the group. The black eyes weren't the same as the young orphan's he'd taught years ago. They were so dispassionate, cold, piercing…familiar. Iruka turned to Kakashi in utter horror.

"I can't do this!"

"Iruka…"

"No! I can't…I'm sorry but I can't. I have to get out of here. Tell Lady Tsunade I'm sorry."

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Sasuke scanned he small group in front of him. It was so bizarre to see all these familiar faces looking at him like he was a hero. If only they knew. Movement drew his attention and his jaded, obsidian eyes scanned down the line of people to where Iruka was whispering frantically to Kakashi. He watched in veiled surprise as the jounin pulled the shorter man towards him, squeezing him tightly and nuzzling the dark temple. Iruka met his gaze for an instant, revealing the fear in the dark brown eyes. Kakashi pecked the bronze forehead and Iruka leapt on to the rooftops, not looking back as he sped away, the cool black gaze following him the whole way. Sasuke glanced at Kisame who gave him a knowing and grim, toothy smile. Sasuke turned back to where Iruka had disappeared.

'Interesting…'

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Four hours later Iruka was still in his classroom hiding…not that he'd admit he was hiding. He'd already feverishly finished all of his marking, finished reviewing the backlog of mission reports, reorganized his desk and the supply closets, polished the training kunai and shurikens and was now washing his black boards to a polished state of novelty. He tossed the cloth back into the bucket of water and stared at the boards in triumph. I guess the way to get himself to work like a madman was for him to be so stressed out that he felt like vomiting. He'd somehow managed to do a day's worth of work in three hours and then had to find things to help him occupy the last hour. He smiled softly at the pristine boards and moved to pick up the bucket when a crisp voice cut through the air and made him jump a foot and spill the grungy water all over the floor. He would have been glad of another menial task and started cleaning the floor if it had been any other voice.

"Busy hands are a pleasant distraction, ne? I can't tell how often I found useless shit to do while I was in Sound." Iruka couldn't stop his body from turning to face the youngest Uchiha, his eyes sliding over the pale face and dark hair before resting on the icy, black eyes. His teeth pressed into his full bottom lip, completely unable to tear his gaze away.

"You look like you've seen a ghost, Iruka-sensei?" The brown eyes squeezed tight as if trying to purge his mind of images and he turned to face the window. He gazed out at his beloved village and for the first time he wished he had lived and grown up somewhere else, somewhere far away from Uchihas.

"What do you want Sasuke-ku…Sasuke?" The entire tan body tensed as he felt hot breath on the back of his neck, his body beginning to tremble as long thin arms that seemed somehow to be an exact mixture of Kakashi's and Itachi's wrapped around him. He held his breath as the pale forehead rested on his spine, his movements shifting from trembling to damn near convulsing. A crinkling sound made him glance down at the envelope being tucked under his fingers.

"I believe this is for you." The heat was instantly removed from his back as Sasuke stepped away. Iruka examined the once white paper, dirtied or more correctly covered with blood stains, this single word 'Chuunin' scrawled across in elegant, narrow letters. Iruka raised his watery eyes to Sasuke who was staring at him, a look of complete indifference on the pale face.

"It's over." Iruka wasn't even sure if he'd meant it as a question or a statement or how it had sounded when it left his lips. Midnight eyes clouded for a moment before becoming hard as steel.

"For some..." And with a pop the last Uchiha vanished leaving Iruka alone, clutching the envelope to his chest. With shaking fingers he tore apart the packet and pulled out the still pristine paper inside. As it unfolded he could see a single line scrawled across the page in the same perfect writing.

_I love you._

Iruka released a shaky breath and slid down the wall to the floor reading the line over and over again. The words were simple but reading between the lines Iruka knew that in just those three words that Itachi had meant so much more. I love you, I miss you, I killed for you; if I could do it again, I'd die for you; I wish I could be with you; I want the best for you; I only want for one thing and that is your happiness. Sighing, Iruka stood, the letter still clutched in his hand. There was something that had to be done to make it right.

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Iruka hissed as he nicked his finger again. 'Almost done.' His kunai dug into the blue stone, finishing off the final letter. Brushing off the glass like fragments he gazed despondently at his work. Running his sore fingers over the sloppily engraved words he sighed and bowed his head.

"I'm sorry. You deserve better than my pathetic attempts to honor you but I didn't know if they'd put your name up here." He leaned back and sighed. "I miss you too. I wish things could have been different but some things are just too intense to last. I…I got your letter, Sasuke delivered it to me. I wish I could help him. I wish I could make him…stay. Move back to the village and live happily ever after like you never could. I guess happily ever after doesn't exist but at least we had happiness for a time." He sat before the memorial stone, reading Itachi's roughly hewn name again and again.

"Hey." He jumped slightly but relaxed as Kakashi's arms wrapped around him. "Defacing a sacred monument, Sensei? Hardly in your nature." Iruka sighed deeply and ran his fingers over the name again.

"He deserves to be here. He is one of the village's fallen heroes after all. It's so…sloppy. It feels unfit for him, everything he did was elegant and graceful." To his surprise Kakashi chuckled.

"I think he would have liked it…but if you don't…" The long, pale fingers flew through a series of hand signs and reached out, ghosting slowly over the carving. Iruka gasped as Kakashi's hand pulled back to reveal perfectly fashioned letters that looked like they belonged. "I've added chakra to the carving so that it can never be removed…unless Tsunade tries, then I'm not sure if it would hold up. But something tells me she won't bother with it." Iruka squeezed the cradling arms and leaned back into the shelter and warmth of his lover.

"I love you, 'Kashi." The masked nose caressed the side of his neck, the silver spikes tickling the side of his face.

"I know, I love you too." The setting sun gleamed off the dark blue stone making it sparkle majestically.

'_Something lost, something gained. I'm not sure who 'they' are but 'they' do seem to be right often. Life goes on. No matter how deep the hurt, time and closure puts it right enough for you to continue moving forward. I loved Itachi Uchiha with all my heart and for a short time he was my whole world. I thought losing him meant that my world was over but in the end it was just the start of another. Life with Kakashi isn't perfect but I suppose no life is. I'm happy though…and that's what he wanted for me.'_

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A/N: Okay, it's done. I know, they didn't end up together but that was always the plan. I really wanted to write something of a happy ending cuz super sad ending make me cry when I read them …so I hope this had some redeeming qualities. Now, to business. I pass the torch to you. Many people have said that they liked this pairing and that there are far too few ItaIru stories out there…so do something about it! I would love to read whatever you come up with and I'm sure my other readers would too, so give it a shot. If you can't take the angst write an AU or a twisted cannon story so that they can live happily ever after. I also will write a request one-shot for anyone who draws me a pretty picture as there are virtually NO ItaIru pics out there. Here's the link to mine, it's also posted on my page. Remember to remove the spaces

http: / yaoi-sustains-me .deviantart. com / art / Drawn-to-you-darkness-ItaIru-90737701

I know it sucks but beggars can't be choosers. Good luck and if you do write something, please let me know!!

Cheers and thx for reading,

Meg


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